11 Effective Tricks to Lower Your Blood Pressure Instantly
Medically reviewed by Kimberly Brown, MD
The best ways to lower blood pressure rely on long-term lifestyle changes, like adopting a healthy diet and quitting smoking, supported by blood pressure medication. This can help you to achieve a healthy blood pressure, which for most adults is 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or lower.
A high blood pressure diagnosis begins with a systolic (first number) reading of 130 or more, or a diastolic pressure (second number) of 80 or more. Unfortunately, there is no quick way to lower blood pressure without medical intervention and careful monitoring.
This article presents 11 tricks to lowering blood pressure and long-term decisions you can make to integrate these steps into your lifestyle. They include tips on reducing sodium intake, losing weight, reducing stress, and other ways to help you reach your blood pressure goals.
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Change Your Diet
People with high blood pressure are often told to eat less salt. Reducing the sodium in your diet can be difficult because many foods that you don't think of as salty actually contain a lot of sodium. You'll have to adjust your diet and monitor food labels; a dietitian can help with this.
Related: 37 Foods High in Sodium to Eat Less of
Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet
According to one systematic review, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is the most effective dietary approach to lowering blood pressure. This diet was created and funded by the National Institute of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and involves limiting sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day; limiting fried, sugary, fatty, and processed foods; and eating more foods that are rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
Calcium-Rich Foods
Foods high in calcium include:
Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
Leafy greens (kale, spinach)
Nuts and seeds
Canned salmon
Potassium-Rich Foods
Potassium is a key nutrient, with food sources that include:
Fruits (bananas, oranges, cantaloupe)
Vegetables (acorn squash, sweet potato, avocado)
Legumes (peas and beans)
Dairy (yogurt, milk)
Magnesium-Rich Foods
You can add magnesium to the diet by eating:
Peanut butter and nuts (almonds, cashews)
Meats (chicken, ground beef)
Vegetables (avocado, broccoli, carrots, potato)
Legumes and whole grains (rice, black beans)
There's some evidence that foods high in flavonols, including berries and apples, also can help to lower your blood pressure. Other studies support the role of dietary fiber in reducing blood pressure, with food sources including:
Fruits (cherries, pectin-rich citrus foods, and berries)
Whole grains (barley, wheat, oats)
Resistant starches (rice, beans and other legumes, potatoes)
Related: 20 Types of Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
Weight Management
If you are overweight and have high blood pressure, losing weight could help normalize your blood pressure. According to the CDC, this is because with less body fat, your heart will undergo less stress pumping blood throughout the body.
Get Enough Exercise
There is strong evidence to support regular exercise and physical activity as a way to lower blood pressure.
The AHA recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic physical activity weekly. Two days of muscle-strengthening exercises per week is also recommended.
Some ways to get this exercise include:
Water aerobics
Walking or hiking
Golf
Barre, Pilates, or yoga classes
Weight lifting
Resistance band exercises
Dancing
Running
Tennis
Biking
Swimming
Quit Smoking
Smoking increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Quitting smoking could make a big difference in your blood pressure.
Even switching to a less harmful alternative, like e-cigarettes, could benefit blood pressure. One study found that smokers who reduced or quit smoking by switching to e-cigarettes effectively lowered their blood pressure long-term.
Related: How Smoking Affects Your Heart
Reduce Alcohol and Caffeine Consumption
Alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Try to reduce your alcohol consumption, especially if you're already at risk or have high blood pressure. The CDC recommends that men drink no more than two alcoholic drinks daily, and women no more than one.
Unlike alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure long-term, caffeine increases your blood pressure temporarily. Your blood pressure can be elevated for up to three hours after drinking coffee.
Takeaway
In order to get the most accurate blood pressure reading, avoid drinking coffee (or any caffeinated beverages) three hours before measurement. The good news is you don't have to cut out coffee entirely.
Eat Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate may help to lower blood pressure because of its flavonol content, which can relax blood vessels through vasodilation and improve blood flow.
There is still limited research evidence of dark chocolate's benefits in reducing blood pressure in humans, as the effect may not have clinical significance. However, a 2022 review of 31 studies found dark chocolate consumption may be better than cocoa drinks in delivering the amount of flavonol (notably epicatechins) that may reduce blood pressure.
Related: How Much Dark Chocolate Should You Eat to Live Longer?
Try Supplements
Certain dietary supplements may help to lower blood pressure, though both the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) stress the importance of lasting diet and nutrition changes rather than supplements in treating hypertension.
Studies have demonstrated small improvements in blood pressure that occur in people taking calcium, potassium, and magnesium supplements, but research results can be mixed. One review of studies on vitamin D, for example, found evidence that people with adequate vitamin D intake (deficiencies are common) had a lower risk of hypertension, but it, too, called for more study.
Other supplements and alternative medicine options that may lower blood pressure include:
Vitamin C (which may also reduce the risk of stroke)
Folic acid (vitamin B9)
Keep in mind that any supplements you take can have side effects or contribute to drug interactions, so discuss their use with a healthcare provider.
Related: 10 Best Supplements for High Blood Pressure
Improve Sleep
Getting poor-quality sleep can increase your risk of high blood pressure. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends six to eight hours of sleep per night to avoid cardiovascular (heart) issues.
If you have trouble getting enough quality sleep, consider talking to your healthcare provider. They may recommend a sleep study to see if there are other underlying causes, like sleep apnea, or lifestyle changes to encourage better sleep habits.
Reduce Stress
A stressful situation can raise your blood pressure temporarily, and chronic stress can raise your blood pressure long term. This is why stress management is one of the best ways to naturally lower blood pressure. However, "stressing less" is easier said than done.
The following stress-reduction techniques may help you lower your blood pressure:
Deep breathing techniques
Mindfulness meditation and other mindfulness-based techniques
Using a planner, calendar, or to-do list for better time management
Therapy or counseling
Journaling
Yoga
Crafting, walking, or another hobby or meaningful occupation
Learn More: How to Practice Mindfulness the Right Way
Take Medication
Lifestyle steps typically are supported by medication to reduce blood pressure. If you have persistent high blood pressure, your healthcare provider may recommend a medication to lower your blood pressure.
The five types of medication used to lower blood pressure include:
It is essential to follow your healthcare provider's instructions with any medication. Often, you have to take blood pressure medication at the same time each day for the best results.
Can Drinking Water Lower Blood Pressure?
Drinking enough water provides us with the optimal amount of fluids for our heart to pump without stressing it. Too little water can cause your blood pressure to lower or rise.
Being dehydrated can cause low blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure when changing position) due to low blood volume. Chronic dehydration, on the other hand, can lead to high blood pressure because your body reacts by constricting vessels.
Drinking a glass of water likely isn't going to immediately affect your blood pressure. However, maintaining optimal hydration can help manage your blood pressure in the long term.
Additional Drinks That Lower Blood Pressure Quickly
Some beverages also can help to lower blood pressure because they contain lycopene, potassium, or other elements associated with a health benefit for hypertension. These drinks include:
Tomato juice
Grapefruit juice
Green tea (the resveratrol can help lower blood pressure)
Keep in mind that you should not use grapefruit juice with a number of other medications, including calcium channel blockers used to treat blood pressure and statin drugs to lower cholesterol.
Related: Can Drinking Too Much Water Make You Dizzy?
When to Seek Medical Help for a Hypertensive Crisis
If a person is in hypertensive crisis (a dangerous, sudden spike in blood pressure in which the systolic pressure is 180 mmHg or higher, and/or the diastolic pressure is 120 mmHg or higher), they require immediate medical attention.
Medical treatment may involve delivering hypertensive drugs intravenously (into the vein).
Summary
There are many ways to lower blood pressure, but none is quick. Changes in diet, weight loss, exercise, medication, stress reduction, quitting smoking and alcohol, and improving sleep quality can all lower your blood pressure long term.
In the short term, be sure you are measuring your blood pressure correctly. Incorrect positioning, a full bladder, or physical activity immediately before a measurement can give an artificially high reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
What lowers blood pressure within minutes?
There is no way to safely and rapidly lower your blood pressure on your own. In an emergency medical setting, hypertensive drugs can be delivered intravenously to reduce blood pressure quickly. If you get a high blood pressure reading at home, try retaking it after resting for five minutes and ensure you are using the correct positioning.
When is blood pressure the highest during the day?
Blood pressure is highest in the morning because it follows your body's circadian rhythm. Your blood pressure should be lower in the afternoon and evening.
What are ways to lower blood pressure without medication?
Some ways to lower blood pressure without medication include mindful meditation, time and stress management techniques, eating less salt, regular exercise, the DASH diet, losing excess weight, quitting smoking, and reducing alcohol consumption. It is also important to ensure you are measuring your blood pressure correctly to avoid artificially high readings.
Related: Water Softeners and High Blood Pressure
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