11 Everyday Habits That Could Be Raising Your Blood Pressure

Making simple swaps can have major long-term benefits.

Around three quarters of Americans report that their health is impacted by stress, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Negative effects of stress include headaches, fatigue, and feeling anxious or depressed. But it can also cause less obvious harm to your health, including short-term spikes in blood pressure. This strain on your health that we all experience, combined with other small, everyday habits you don’t realize are affecting you, may actually be slowly raising your blood pressure over time.

What You Should Know About Habits That Can Raise Blood Pressure

There are things you may be doing every day that can cause temporary — or sustained — spikes in blood pressure. Over time, this can actually increase your hypertension risk, which can leave you more vulnerable to health conditions like heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. The good news: Assessing your lifestyle and tweaking small habits can have a big impact on your health in both the long- and short-term.  

Going Deeper: 11 Habits That Can Raise Blood Pressure

Things you do in your daily life may be increasing your risk of hypertension. Here are some things cardiologists say can increase your blood pressure, plus simple tweaks to help keep your levels healthy long-term.

1. A diet high in ultra-processed foods — Frequently reaching for pre-packaged foods can be a timesaver, but often, these are high in sugar, fat, and sodium. Diets high in saturated fats and processed foods can damage the lining of your blood vessels and drive weight gain, both of which raise hypertension risk, says John P. Higgins, MD, a cardiovascular medicine professor at UT Health Houston’s McGovern Medical School. Instead, opt for fruits and veggies as quick snacks, and a diet focused on whole grains, beneficial fats, and lean proteins. 
2. Too much sugar — Intake of too much sugar, especially added sugar, can cause your blood sugar to spike. Over time, this drives insulin resistance and inflammation, increasing your risk of stroke and heart disease. Fructose, found in sugary beverages or foods with added sugar, can be especially harmful. Research shows too much can increase blood pressure and hypertension risk.
3. Not enough potassium — Eating enough potassium per day (it’s recommended that adult men get 3,400 mg per day and women get 2,600 mg per day) helps reduce the effect of salt on blood pressure and relax the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include leafy greens, sweet potatoes with the skin on, bananas, and legumes.
4. Certain supplements or medications — Some over-the-counter medications  and herbal products constrict blood vessels or work by causing the body to hold onto water, which can cause high blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, they can also worsen the condition. If you’re taking supplements like stimulants, decongestants, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, or herbals like licorice or ginseng, check with a doctor to make sure they’re right for you.
5. Stress — Stress can cause short-term spikes in blood pressure. And, while more research is needed to pin down exactly how stress affects blood pressure, we know chronic stress releases cortisol and adrenaline, which tighten vessels and activate fight-or-flight, which raises your heart rate. Doctors recommend lifestyle changes, like breathwork, exercise, and at least seven hours of sleep per night, to help reduce stress levels. 
6. Frequent urination — Research shows if you find yourself getting up to go in the middle of the night, this may be linked to too much sodium intake and high blood pressure. Additionally, it can also be a sign of unmanaged diabetes, as your kidneys are working to flush high levels of blood sugar, leading to electrolyte shifts. If this sounds like you, keeping tabs on your sodium intake and getting tested for diabetes are two ways to help combat your hypertension risk.
7. Ignoring Pain — From everyday arthritis pain to headaches or injuries, the nervous system is triggered as part of the signaling and healing process. These triggers can raise blood pressure, so it’s important to treat the pain and help break the cycle. Those with chronic pain are at a higher risk of long-term elevated blood pressure. 
8. Too little sleep — When you sleep, your heart rate slows down and your body uses this time to recover. However, if you’re not giving yourself enough quality sleep, your body doesn’t have as long to reset and repair from the day’s stressors. Getting under seven hours of zz’s per night disrupts hormones and activates stress pathways — those who get less than six hours of sleep per night are more prone to develop high blood pressure, according to experts. And, sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure and risk of type 2 diabetes. Improving your sleep can even help lower high blood pressure, according to UVA Health.
9. Excess alcohol — Drinking too much can raise the pressure on the walls of your blood vessels. Drinking too much in one sitting raises blood pressure short-term, while a habit of excessive drinking will have negative long-term effects on your blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic. Cap it at two drinks a day for men, one for women.
10. Smoking — Puffing on cigarettes is one of the major factors of hypertension. The nicotine and other chemicals found in cigs tightens the blood vessels and instantly spikes your blood pressure. Over time, it damages the inner lining of your blood vessels and stiffens arteries. Smoking also increases risk of plaque buildup in the arteries, and high blood pressure can speed up this process, putting you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. 
11. Sitting too much — Prolonged sitting (like at your desk without any trips to the water fountain or walks around the block) can increase your blood pressure. It’s important to add regular cardio to counteract all that sitting — research suggests it can lower blood pressure readings by about 5 to 8 mmHg and help you maintain a healthy weight.

The Takeaway

Assess your daily habits to see if there’s anything you’re doing that may be putting you at risk for high blood pressure. Incorporating small tweaks, like eating more whole foods and focusing on potassium intake are immediate easy steps you can take to lower your blood pressure. Aiming for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, getting at least seven hours of sleep, and managing stress — all advice to help live an overall healthier lifestyle — are changes you can work up to. And, go easy on alcohol and added sugar. These small, consistent changes add up.

Bottom Line

There are things in your daily life that you may do unconsciously that can lead to high blood pressure. Unfortunately, high blood pressure is sneaky — there aren’t always signs. By adjusting your daily habits to incorporate cardiologist-backed ways to reduce high blood pressure long-term, you’ll be doing wonders for your health. Remember, one-off spikes are normal, and the goal is keeping levels low over time. Anyone on the listed medications or with persistent high readings should talk to a clinician, and most adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once per year.