High blood pressure in winter: Possible reasons and ways to manage BP levels

High blood pressure: Many people are already having difficulty maintaining their health over the winter. Particularly those suffering from arthritis, hypertension, etc. find it difficult to deal with the severity of such issues. Most of us prefer to stay home when it's chilly outside, which limits our ability to be physically active. 

Food preferences are also impacted, and it is seen that salt and sugar consumption rises during winter. These elements all have an impact on our general health. Thus blood flow is constrained to retain heat and maintain body temperature, which raises blood pressure.

Blood vessels and coronary arteries constrict in cold weather. This results in constrictive blood flow, elevated blood pressure, and a limited oxygen supply for the heart. This demonstrates that the winter season not only causes hypertension to worsen but also raises the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.

Other elements affect blood pressure in addition to the cold climate. The body can also react to sudden changes in the weather, such as a storm or a weather front. Blood vessel function can also be impacted by sudden changes in wind, air pressure, cloud cover, or humidity.

Tips to prevent winter hypertension

- Try not to put your body under more stress than is necessary. This includes intense exercise, heavy lifting, etc.

- Avoid going outside when it's extremely cold, especially if it's windy. An abrupt change in the heart's workload can result from this.

- You must conserve body heat if you don't want the heart to pump harder. Stay warm with layers for that.

- Wear gloves, a wool cap or scarf, and shoes when you walk outside. These would lessen how much of the outside temperature the body would be exposed to. A spike in blood pressure could be avoided by keeping the body warm.

- Caffeine and alcohol use should be avoided as they accelerate the loss of body heat.

(Disclaimer: This article is based on general information and does not substitute for an expert's advice. Zee News does not confirm this.)