How to Temporarily Lower Blood Pressure

There are times when our blood pressure may be elevated, such as when we are nervous or anxious. During times like these, we need to lower our blood pressure at least temporarily so we can perform the task at hand.

Instructions

• 1

  Control your breathing. Sometimes when we are nervous or anxious, our blood pressure starts to rise and in turn, our breathing starts to become irregular--sometimes to the point of hyperventilation. You can control your breathing by taking long deep breaths through your nose and breathing long, out through your mouth.

• 2

  Cool your body. Heat has a tendency to increase blood pressure. Your body has to work harder to stay cooler, meaning that your blood pressure will start to increase. If you start to feel yourself start to sweat even more and you are in a warm environment, move to a cooler area to help relax, cool yourself off and decrease your blood pressure.

• 3

  Calm your thoughts. Often, our minds are the greatest culprits in increasing our blood pressure. If we have thoughts in our minds that cause us to become more anxious or nervous, try to think of things that are more calming. Imagine things in your mind that cause you to relax or take the stress away. Picturing things like your last relaxing vacation or a nice day at the beach should help put you into the frame of mind to relax.

• 4

  Drink more water. There is a direct link between dehydration and elevated blood pressure. If you hardly drink any water and drink a lot of drinks that contain caffeine, which act as a diuretic, you may want to start drinking more water. Staying properly hydrated will help ensure that your blood pressure is lower and at a normal level. Staying properly hydrated at all times also will help to keep your body functioning at an optimal level.

• 5

  Relocate to a calmer environment to help bring your blood pressure down. Sometimes when we're in the middle of a high-stress environment where things are loud and things are going crazy around us, our blood pressure will naturally rise. Remove yourself from such a surrounding to help bring your stress level down. Go someplace where there is no one around, where it is quiet and where you can sit and relax without being bothered.