High blood pressure is one of the most common health conditions worldwide. About one in four adults has it. Most have no idea, because it gives you no warning signs.
High blood pressure doesn’t cause symptoms you can feel. Your heart, your arteries, and your kidneys can be quietly taking damage for years before anything shows up. By the time it does, you’ve missed years of easy opportunities to reverse it. That’s why doctors call it the silent killer. Knowing your numbers is one of the most useful things you can do for your health.
The good news is that once you know your numbers, you have real power to change them.
Key InsightHigh blood pressure affects about 1 in 4 adults, and most don’t know they have it. It causes no pain, no obvious symptoms, and no warning until serious damage has already been done. That’s why it’s called the silent killer. A normal reading is below 120/80 mmHg. High blood pressure starts at 140/90. Left unchecked, it damages your arteries, strains your heart and kidneys, and raises your risk of heart attack and stroke. The good news is that lifestyle changes like reducing salt intake, exercising regularly, and losing excess weight can significantly improve your numbers, often within a few weeks. |
What Your Blood Pressure Numbers Actually Mean
Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps.
Your reading has two numbers. The top one, called systolic pressure, shows the force when your heart beats. The bottom one, diastolic pressure, shows the force when your heart rests between beats. You’ll see it written as, say, 120/80 mmHg.
Here’s what your numbers mean:
| Reading | Category | What to do |
| Below 120/80 | Normal | Keep up your healthy habits |
| 120-139 / below 80 | Elevated | Make lifestyle changes now |
| 140/90 or above | High blood pressure | See your doctor |
| Above 180/120 | Hypertensive crisis | Seek immediate medical care |
If your top number sits between 120 and 139, you’re in an elevated range worth taking seriously. Getting your blood pressure checked puts you in the right position to act before any damage sets in.
Why Your Blood Pressure Goes Up
High blood pressure usually doesn’t have a single cause. It builds through a combination of factors, some you’re born with and some shaped by how you live.
Your age and genetics play a role in the background. Your blood vessels naturally stiffen as you get older. If high blood pressure runs in your family, your personal risk is higher. Neither of those is something you can control.
But most of what drives your blood pressure is within your reach. Carrying extra weight around your middle puts (abdominal fat) more demand on your heart. A high-salt diet makes your body hold onto extra fluid, which increases pressure in your arteries. When you’re not physically active, your heart never gets the regular workout it needs to stay strong.
Smoking raises your blood pressure almost immediately and hardens your arteries over time. Drinking heavily does the same to your cardiovascular system. Long-standing stress adds up, too, by triggering repeated blood pressure spikes over months and years.
Other health conditions can also push your numbers up, including kidney disease, sleep apnoea, and diabetes. Some common medications, including certain pain relievers and decongestants, can affect your blood pressure too.
Why High Blood Pressure Feels Like Nothing
High blood pressure doesn’t usually feel like anything. You can have dangerously high numbers for years and feel completely fine. Most people are surprised to find out they have it, precisely because nothing felt wrong.
When symptoms do appear, they tend to be vague: occasional headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision. These show up mainly when your blood pressure is extremely elevated. They’re easy for you to dismiss as tiredness or stress.
The real damage is invisible to you. Over time, unchecked high blood pressure wears down your artery walls. Your heart is forced to work harder, and your kidneys come under strain. Your risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure rises quietly, with no warning signals to guide you.
That’s why getting your blood pressure checked regularly matters, even when you feel perfectly well. If you’re over 40 or have any risk factors, a yearly reading is worth making a habit.
How to Lower Your Blood Pressure
The goal is to bring your numbers down and keep them there. For most people, that starts with changes to their daily habits.
- Reducing your salt intake is one of the most direct things you can do. Most of the salt in your diet doesn’t come from what you add at the table. It comes from processed foods, ready meals, bread, and sauces. Choosing fresh ingredients and checking labels can make a bigger difference to your blood pressure than you might expect.
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- Regular exercise matters a great deal, too. Thirty minutes of moderate activity five days a week is enough to lower your blood pressure meaningfully. Brisk walking counts. You don’t need a gym or anything more intense than that.
- If you’re carrying extra weight, losing five to ten percent of your body weight can bring your numbers down noticeably.
- Cutting back on alcohol, quitting smoking, and managing ongoing stress all help lower your blood pressure, too.
- If lifestyle changes aren’t enough on their own, your doctor may add medication. Several types are commonly used, and your doctor will choose the one that best suits your situation.
Sometimes it takes a short adjustment period to find the right combination for you. Take your medication as prescribed, even when you feel fine. High blood pressure doesn’t give you symptoms to track, and feeling well isn’t a reliable sign that your treatment is working.
Most people see real improvement within a few weeks of making genuine lifestyle changes. High blood pressure is very manageable once you take it seriously. The key is not waiting for symptoms that may never come.
