High blood pressure, a.k.a. hypertension is a common but dangerous issue in the United States. And while there are many factors that play into your risk of developing this issue, like genetics, medication, pre-existing conditions, and more, there are also several changes you can make to your lifestyle in order to reduce your risk and keep your heart as healthy as possible. While you may be aware of some of the obvious things to change—like cutting back on high-sodium foods and managing your stress levels—there are a few bad habits you may not have considered that could be increasing your risk of hypertension.
To discover some of the lesser-known habits that may contribute to or worsen high blood pressure, we spoke to health experts Rovert Iafelice, MS, RDN, and cardiologist Dr. Lowell Steen. They told us that not getting enough sleep and eating too much sugar are two mistakes you shouldn’t make if you want to maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Learn more below!
1. Skimping on sleep
Your sleep plays a crucial role in your overall health; it can impact practically every aspect of your wellbeing. As it turns out, failing to get enough sleep can even lead to poor heart health and increase your risk of heart disease over time. This is partly due to the fact that, as Steen notes, it can lead to and worsen high blood pressure.
"Lack of quality sleep or consistently inadequate sleep can contribute to hypertension," he warns. "During sleep, blood pressure naturally decreases, and disrupted or insufficient sleep can disrupt this normal pattern. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night and establish a consistent sleep routine."
There are plenty of ways to promote better sleep habits, from following healthy bedtime habits to taking good sleep supplements like these. Regardless, it's important to prioritize a good night's sleep if you want to lower your blood pressure.
2. Eating too much sugar
If you know much about blood pressure, you may already be aware of the fact that consuming too much salt is one major risk that can contribute to hypertension overtime. However, have you considered the fact that too much sugar can also be detrimental to your blood pressure levels?
"Most people with hypertension or trying to prevent it focus on excess salt intake," Iafelice points out. "Many will be surprised to know that too much sugar is even worse for hypertension." Who knew?!
He says this is because eating too many sugary foods (including refined carbs) can result in insulin resistance over time, which can lead to hypertension. "Insulin resistance is associated with high insulin levels. Insulin increases the reabsorption of sodium. Thus, you retain more sodium which can lead to high blood pressure," he explains.
For this reason, he says you should "avoid added sugars in your diet (for the most part)," and "keep carbs low and protein high," and exercise daily, which "will better control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing insulin resistance and potentially hypertension." Noted!
