Key points
- Eat a healthy diet low in salt (sodium).
- Maintain a healthy weight by eating healthy foods and getting regular physical activity.
- Choose healthy habits, including not smoking, limiting alcohol, getting enough sleep, and managing stress.
Healthy habits to prevent high blood pressure
Healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent high blood pressure and lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.
Eat a healthy diet
Choose healthy meals and snacks to help prevent high blood pressure and its complications. Talk to your doctor about how diet can help you prevent high blood pressure.
Reach and maintain a healthy weight
Having overweight or obesity increases your risk for high blood pressure. Talk with your health care team about healthy eating, regular physical activity, and medications to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Be physically active
Regular physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (like fast walking) or 75 minutes of intense activity (like running) each week.
Do not smoke
Smoking raises your blood pressure and increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. If you do not smoke, do not start. If you smoke, quitting can improve your health.
Limit how much alcohol you drink
Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day, and women should have no more than 1 alcoholic drink per day.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep supports your overall health and helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.
Manage stress
People who have depression, anxiety, stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder over a long period of time may develop other health problems, including high blood pressure.
Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health disorders and talk to your health care team about managing stress and keeping your heart healthy.
This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.