Dr Amir Khan explains 5 things raising your blood pressure

High blood pressure is an extremely common condition, and can lead to serious health problems such as heart attacks or strokes – but many may not even know they are living with it. Thankfully, there are plenty of things we can all do to keep it in check.

Dr Amir Khan is a familiar face on ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, where he is often seen dishing out valuable health advice. He has explained five things we may be doing every day which could be increasing your blood pressure. In a video on TikTok he said: “Your blood pressure is so important to your health, here are five surprising things that may raise it and why they matter for your heart.”

First on Dr Khan’s list won’t come as much of a surprise – stress. He said: “When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. They make your heart beat faster and your blood vessels narrow.

“That’s your fight-or-flight mode. Fine for a few minutes, but if you’re stressed all the time, your blood pressure stays high.”

Second is drinking too much caffeine. Dr Khan said, while a cup of coffee or an energy drink can give you a boost, the caffeine will also cause your blood pressure to rise.

“Caffeine blocks a chemical that helps your blood vessels relax, so they stay a bit tighter,” he said. “If you’re sensitive, even one strong cup can push your numbers up temporarily.”

Number three is something many of us could do with improving – sleep. “Poor sleep means your body doesn’t get its nightly reset,” Dr Khan said.

“Your stress hormones stay higher during the day, and your blood pressure doesn’t drop at night like it should. Over time, that can lead to chronic high blood pressure.”

For the fourth on his list, Dr Khan warned some over-the-counter medications, while possibly effective in dealing with a short-term health problem, can have negative impacts on blood pressure. He said decongestants sold over the counter work by narrowing blood vessels in your nose to clear congestion – but also narrow blood vessels in the rest of the body.

“Always check the label if you have high blood pressure, he said. “And to be honest, there isn’t much evidence they work.”

The final point on the list is spending too much time sitting down. “I go on about this all the time,” he said.

“When you sit for hours without moving, blood flow slows down and your blood vessels can stiffen. Even short breaks – a quick walk, stretching – help your vessels stay flexible and keep your blood pressure in check.”

Concluding, he said: “So if your blood pressure is creeping up, think about these five everyday habits too. A few small changes could make a big difference to your heart health.”

What are the risks associated with high blood pressure?

According to the NHS, high blood pressure, also called hypertension, can lead to serious problems such as heart attacks or strokes. It is a very common condition, especially in older adults, and is often symptom-free, so many may not even realise they have it.

Having high blood pressure can increase your risk of serious conditions such as

• Heart disease
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Heart failure
• Kidney disease
• Vascular dementia

Factors which can increase your risk of high blood pressure include:

• Age – you’re more likely to get high blood pressure as you get older
• A family history of high blood pressure
• Ethnicity – people of Black African, Black Caribbean, or South Asian ethnic backgrounds are more likely to develop high blood pressure
• An unhealthy diet, especially one high in salt
• Being overweight
• Smoking
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Long-term stress

Symptoms of high blood pressure can include:

• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Chest pain

The only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to get it checked. Most GPs and some pharmacies offer free blood pressure checks, and you can also purchase blood pressure machines for use at home.

You can lower your blood pressure by eating a healthy, balanced diet, doing at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, and losing weight if you are overweight. You should also avoid eating too much salt, drinking too much alcohol or caffeine, and smoking.