How to Raise Blood Pressure & Slow Heart Beat

If you have low blood pressure, it is called hypotension. Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the arteries when it is pumped from the heart. It is measured in systolic (pressure while the heart pumps blood) and diastolic (pressure while the heart is at rest between beats) blood pressure. It is usually written as systolic over diastolic. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, normal blood pressure for adults is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). If it's lower than 90/60 mmHg, it is considered hypotension. There are various ways to raise your blood pressure. If your heart rate rises, it does not always create a corresponding rise in blood pressure. There also also ways to control your heart rate to keep healthy, but there is no direct connection to blood pressure.

Things You'll Need

• Salt
• Water
• Medications
• Compression stockings
• Health club

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Instructions

• 1

  If you have hypotension, carefully increase the amount of salt in your diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, sodium can raise your blood pressure. However, you should check with your doctor first, as too much sodium can lead to heart problems later in life.

• 2

  Drink lots of water. The more well-hydrated you are, the more blood volume there will be. It will also help prevent dehydration, which will help raise your blood pressure. For this same reason, avoid alcohol.

• 3

  Don't cross your legs, and consider wearing compression stockings, NHLBI recommends. The stockings put pressure on your lower legs to help move blood through your body.

• 4

  Take medications. If you have orthostatic hypotension, where your blood pressure lowers when you stand up, you may be prescribed fludrocortisone. It helps raise blood volume. If the problem is chronic, you may use the medication midodrine. According to the Mayo Clinic, it restricts your blood vessels from expanding, raising blood pressure.

• 5

  If you are looking to slow your heart beat at rest, then increase your level of physical activity. You'll notice that when you exercise, your heart rate increases, and when you stop exercising, it gradually returns to normal. A normal resting heart rate is about 60 to 90 beats per minute (bpm). Begin an exercise regimen and gradually increase your fitness level. Athletes tend to have pulses in the range of 40 to 60 bpm. This is because their hearts are stronger and have less work to do to pump blood.