MediQHow to lower your risk of high blood pressure with everyday habits
High blood pressure often has no symptoms, but simple daily choices can help prevent it. Learn what the World Health Organization recommends you do and avoid to protect your heart.
In short
- Eat more fruits and vegetables while keeping salt under 2 grams per day.
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week, plus strength training twice weekly.
- Check your blood pressure regularly because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms.
You cannot feel your blood pressure rising, yet it may be quietly damaging your heart and brain right now. An estimated 1.4 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide had hypertension in 2024. The good news is that everyday habits play a major role in preventing it.
Hypertension means the pressure in your blood vessels is too high—specifically 140/90 mmHg or higher. Most people with this condition do not feel any symptoms. The only way to know your numbers is to get your blood pressure checked by a health professional.
What daily choices raise my risk?
Some things you cannot change, like older age or a family history of the condition. But many risks come from daily habits. These include:
- eating too much salt or foods high in saturated and trans fats
- not being physically active
- being overweight or obese
- smoking or using tobacco
- drinking too much alcohol
Air pollution is also a significant environmental risk factor for hypertension.
How can I prevent high blood pressure?
Lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure. You do not need special equipment to start. Try to eat more vegetables and fruits, sit less, and lose weight if you are overweight or obese. Reducing and managing stress also helps.
For physical activity, aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, running, swimming or dancing. Alternatively, you can do 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity. Doing strength-building exercises, like lifting weights, on two or more days each week is also recommended.
Watch your salt intake carefully. Try to stay under 2 grams per day. If you drink alcohol, keep it to a maximum of one drink daily for women and two for men. Do not smoke or use tobacco.
When should I get help right away?
Checking your blood pressure regularly is quick and painless. However, very high blood pressure—usually 180/120 or higher—can cause severe headaches, chest pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, anxiety, confusion, buzzing in the ears, nosebleeds or an abnormal heart rhythm.
If you experience any of these symptoms along with high blood pressure, call 103 immediately for emergency care.
The bottom line: small, steady changes to how you eat, move and live can protect your blood vessels for years to come.
What you can do now
- Move your body for at least 150 minutes each week through activities like walking, running, swimming or dancing.
- Limit your salt intake to less than 2 grams per day by choosing fresh foods over heavily processed ones.
- Do strength-building exercises, such as lifting weights, on two or more days each week.
- Call 103 immediately if you have a known high blood pressure reading along with severe headaches, chest pain, difficulty breathing or blurred vision.
Questions you may have
Can I feel it if my blood pressure is high?
Most people with hypertension do not feel any symptoms. The only way to detect it is to have a health professional measure your blood pressure.
What counts as moderate physical activity?
Walking, running, swimming and dancing are examples of aerobic activity. You should aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
Is air pollution linked to high blood pressure?
Yes. Environmental risk factors exist for hypertension, and air pollution is the most significant one among them.
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