You may well already know what works best for you, but if not, here are some ideas to get you started: breathing exercises, yoga, prioritising good sleep hygiene, staying connected with others, analysing sources of stress (e.g., workload) for possible changes. How this is achieved will probably look somewhat different for each person reading this. Read: Easy Way to Exercise for 30 Minutes a Day Any increase in movement towards the end goal of 30 minutes/day is a metaphorical and literal step in the right direction. If this is a big jump up from your current activity levels, please don’t be put off from starting – make small, achievable goals that you can adjust every 2 – 4 weeks. Ideally aim for 30 minutes/day of moderate to vigorous activity. What’s more, it can also help to improve your cholesterol, reduce stress, and can burn more calories, therefore helping reduce excess weight. If you are after one lifestyle change that can reap a whole host of benefits (apart from quitting smoking), increasing your exercise may be it: Not only can it reduce high blood pressure, it also has a direct effect on boosting the health of the heart and the blood vessels.

If you try out the calculator, have a go at changing your smoking status to see what difference it makes to your risk. Not only does this lower your blood pressure, but it also reduces your risk of some of the serious complications of having raised blood pressure (hence it’s inclusion in the calculator tool that GP’s use).

Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Blood Pressure

Blood pressure reading chart pdf