If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from high blood pressure, you may be wondering how water can help. It’s simple – drinking water helps your body flush out excess fluid and sodium, which can lead to a decrease in blood pressure. So if you’re looking for an easy way to lower your blood pressure, make sure to drink plenty of water! This article will enumerate the effects of drinking water on blood pressure, including tips on how to lower blood pressure, and the benefits of staying hydrated.
How does drinking water lower blood pressure?
In addition to keeping you hydrated and helping you feel full, drinking fresh water can help achieve weight loss. When you drink water instead of sugary drinks or drinks that contain sodium, you cut down on the number of calories you consume and the amount of salt you take in on a daily basis. According to PubMed Health, reducing your calorie intake will result in weight loss, and even a relatively modest weight loss of 10 pounds can have a positive effect on your blood pressure. If you want to avoid the pounding in your chest that comes with consuming caffeine, drinking water rather than tea or coffee is the best way to do it. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, which means that it causes the blood vessels to narrow and can therefore cause a temporary increase in blood pressure.
Tips on Lowering your Blood Pressure
It is not necessary to make significant changes to your lifestyle in order to see a difference in your blood pressure. To assist you in bringing your blood pressure back down into the normal range, the following are five easy steps that you can take right now.
1. Lose weight
According to Fisher, the process of reducing excess body fat is by far the most effective method of lowering high blood pressure. And a significant amount of weight loss is not necessary for this to take effect. A reduction in weight of as little as 10 pounds can have a positive effect on blood pressure.
2. Cut down on sodium-intake
When you have high blood pressure, drinking alcohol and eating a lot of salt is not a good idea. Either stay away from them as much as you can or cut back on the amount you consume.
3. Exercise regularly
A little bit of physical activity can go a long way towards improving your overall health. Try to exercise for at least half an hour on each of the five days of the week. If you want to get in better shape and lose some weight, weightlifting is a great form of exercise to incorporate into your routine. Swimming or walking are both great low-impact activities that can help lower high blood pressure over time. First and foremost, you should discuss your situation with your primary care physician in order to receive recommendations that are tailored to your specific needs.
4. De-stress by meditating or engaging in deep breathing exercises.
Hormones produced in response to stress constrict blood vessels, which in turn can cause transient increases in blood pressure. In addition, prolonged exposure to stress can lead to the development of poor behaviours, which in turn puts a person’s cardiovascular health at risk. Some examples of these are eating too much, not getting enough sleep, and abusing substances like alcohol and drugs. If you want to be successful in bringing down your blood pressure, eliminating some of the stress in your life should be one of your top priorities.
High blood pressure can be brought on by excessive worry or stress. Keeping a level head can help lower blood pressure. Take a seat and concentrate on your in and out breaths. Take a few long, deep breaths, and then hold each one for a few seconds before letting it out completely. Your blood pressure can be lowered by lowering your stress levels, which can also help lower your blood pressure. In times of stress, erratic breathing patterns are one of the primary contributors to an increase in blood pressure (BP). Because of this, practising deep breathing can assist in the reduction of hypertension as well as the regulation of blood pressure. Daily practice of meditative activities like yoga and breathing exercises that focus on slowing the breath may produce better results simultaneously. Make reducing stress a top priority in your life.
Source: Health Line and Health Match
How to Stay Hydrated?
Make sure you are staying hydrated by following the tips that are listed below:
- Drink whenever you feel the slightest bit of thirst. The sensation of thirst is your body’s way of letting you know that it requires more fluids in your diet.
- When you are sick with a fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea, it is important to remember to drink more water than normal. This is especially important if you are engaging in strenuous physical activity.
- As you go about your day-to-day activities, make sure to keep a bottle of water on you at all times. In this manner, you will never be without access to water.
- Choose water instead of sugary sodas, energy drinks, sweetened beverages, or alcoholic drinks.
Benefits of Drinking Water
Water ensures that every system in the body continues to function as it should. According to the Harvard Medical School Special Health Report 6-Week Plan for Healthy Eating, water performs a variety of crucial functions, including the following:
- providing your cells with the nutrients and oxygen they need
- removing bacteria from your bladder
- assisting with digestion
- preventing constipation
- normalising blood pressure
- cushioning joints
- protecting organs and tissues
- regulating body temperature, and
- maintaining electrolyte (sodium) balance
If you provide your body with the appropriate amount of fluids for it to complete those tasks, then you are maintaining your hydration.
You put yourself at risk of becoming dehydrated if you don’t consume enough water on a daily basis. Weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, and dark-coloured urine are all warning signs of dehydration. Other symptoms include dry mouth and skin.
The question now is, how much water should you consume? The average person needs between four and six cups of water every single day.
Summary
If you have high blood pressure, it indicates that the amount of blood travelling through your arteries is greater than what is considered to be normal. Making changes to one’s lifestyle, such as engaging in regular physical activity and consuming foods rich in nutrients, is the first step in both treating and preventing high blood pressure.
Consuming water and ensuring that the body is properly hydrated can also contribute to the maintenance of healthy blood pressure. In general, it is recommended to consume eight cups of water each day that are 8 ounces in size. It is essential to be aware that certain foods, such as fruits and vegetables, also contain water.
