how do i lower my blood pressure

[brianmanahan]

update:

welp the BP medicine seems to be helping a lot, i'm consistently about 120/70 now on a low dosage. also started to get exercise almost every day.

did have one freaky thing happen, but maybe it's normal - i was watching a football game and it was a nailbiter right until the very end. i noticed my heart was racing so i took my BP just a minute after the game got over and holy crap

it was 182/95!

but then 5 minutes later it was down to the 140s, and a half hour later it was 120 again

maybe stress or excitement normally causes spikes like that? or maybe i just need to quit watching sports and doing stressful stuff...

 

[CalebRockeT]

welp the BP medicine seems to be helping a lot, i'm consistently about 120/70 now on a low dosage. also started to get exercise almost every day.

did have one freaky thing happen, but maybe it's normal - i was watching a football game and it was a nailbiter right until the very end. i noticed my heart was racing so i took my BP just a minute after the game got over and holy crap

it was 182/95!

but then 5 minutes later it was down to the 140s, and a half hour later it was 120 again

maybe stress or excitement normally causes spikes like that? or maybe i just need to quit watching sports and doing stressful stuff...

Nice work getting your numbers down with meds and especially the frequent exercise. I think your idea that stress/excitement caused the spike is spot on. I'm not sure if transient spikes in blood pressure are something to try to be taking proactive measures to avoid or not. I suppose it depends on the frequency/intensity of the episodes and if you feel any other physical symptoms in the midst of the spike. This article has some interesting information regarding hypertension.

For example:

There is little doubt that both physical and mental stress can cause significant elevations of blood pressure. Transient measurements in excess off 400/250 mmHg have been recorded in elite weight lifters as they perform the supreme Valsalva maneuver. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring studies on workers reveal that the highest pressures are often seen during telephone conversations, especially when this involves some controversy. Lynch and co-workers have convincingly shown in extensive studies, that a rise in blood pressure promptly occurs as soon as we start to speak. Baseline levels, rate and loudness of speech, subject matter, and the relative social status of the audience, can all influence the magnitude of this elevation.2 Although such rises may be dramatic and even alarming, they appear to be normal reactions with little prognostic significance. Blood pressure also rises when deaf mutes communicate in sign language, but not when they move their hands in an equally vigorous, but meaningless fashion. It is of interest that schizophrenics tend to be hypotensive, and blood pressure rises do not occur or are minimal when they talk, possibly because they really are not communicating. However, following successful drug treatment, they do respond normally.3 These observations suggest that the increase in blood pressure associated with speech and communication is due more to emotional, rather than physical stress.

Pretty interesting. I wonder what my blood pressure is like over the several hours at work while I'm repeatedly lifting 40-70 pounds, sometimes overhead. I doubt what I'm doing is of the same intensity of the "supreme" Valsalva maneuver that elite weight lifters are doing, but I do make an effort to take a deep breath and brace before lifting stuff to try to protect my back/spine/core. Doing that over and over for 4-6 hours seems like it could cause a more persistent rise in blood pressure, which would obviously be less than ideal. Perhaps I'll take my BP monitor with me one of these days and take a measurement after finishing the heavy lifting.

 

[brianmanahan]

I doubt what I'm doing is of the same intensity of the "supreme" Valsalva maneuver that elite weight lifters are doing, but I do make an effort to take a deep breath and brace before lifting stuff to try to protect my back/spine/core. Doing that over and over for 4-6 hours seems like it could cause a more persistent rise in blood pressure, which would obviously be less than ideal. Perhaps I'll take my BP monitor with me one of these days and take a measurement after finishing the heavy lifting.

wow a spike to 400 is crazy! that is what i was thinking, workouts can take it up around 200 temporarily, so maybe stress as well.

 

[Muse]

I'm no expert but these 2 things come to mind:

1. Reduce your sodium intake. In America, food is mucho over-salted. Get used to less and you WILL NOT MISS IT!

2. Get more exercise, in particular the kind that builds your cardio-vascular fitness.

I suppose, if you have to, take meds. But IMO you're way better off by doing it without pharmaceutical interventions.

 

[skyking]

Getting a good repeatable resting blood pressure is not gaming the system it's getting a good measurement. You can go to most fire stations and get an emt to read your blood pressure. I go about once every two weeks and write it down. I try and do it under similar conditions. Before I lost all that weight and started doing exercise I was on medicine. It goes up when I'm not exercising and goes back down when I do.

 

[brianmanahan]

It goes up when I'm not exercising and goes back down when I do.

that's awesome, how often do you have to work out to lower it?

the medicine does seem to have mine under control now but i wanna get off it if possible

 

[skyking]

I was able to work bicycling into my daily routine. I always felt pretty good if I can get my heart rate up into the peak zone three times a week.

 

[Muse]

I was able to work bicycling into my daily routine. I always felt pretty good if I can get my heart rate up into the peak zone three times a week.

If you don't mind my asking, what's your peak zone?

 

[ricleo2]

Have you tried meditation? It has been shown to reduce blood pressure, sleep better, better focus, and so much more. 2m a day is what I started with, and now I'm doing 10m a day. It's a good way to calm your mind as well. As they say in India, your mind is like a monkey. What do monkeys do? They jump from branch to branch. It's the same concept with your mind. It jumps around from thought to thought all day. We have to calm it via meditation. I've also gotten much better with my train of thought. If I'm feeling anxious I can now acknowledge my thoughts (I'm feeling anxious), and redirect my thoughts. In the past I'd let my thoughts get away from me. I've gotten much better.

People underestimate the dangers of high blood pressure. On YouTube, I like viewing this one guy who produces a lot of small business videos. Well he stopped producing vidoes for 2-3 weeks straight. Normally, he was producing and uploading consistently 4-5 videos. We were all wondering what happened. He made a video and told us that he had a heart attack. A widow maker to be exact, and it happened because of his high blood pressure. He went to the gym 4X a week. He didn't go into his eating routine but I'm almost positive that it wasn't great. And, he's only 51. That is how fast it can happen.

Meditation worked wonders for me. Check it out with a professional.

 

[skyking]

If you don't mind my asking, what's your peak zone?

anything above 137 is in the peak range, using the 220 - age x 0.85, for me . I haven't gone there since the surgery.
When I was riding on the commute in Seattle, I bounced off 160 almost every morning. It was the perfect little sprint. I could get to work in about 13 minutes but I had a few minutes before I needed to be there so I could ride right by. I would turn it into a 28 minute cardio run.

 

[Muse]

anything above 137 is in the peak range, using the 220 - age x 0.85, for me . I haven't gone there since the surgery.
When I was riding on the commute in Seattle, I bounced off 160 almost every morning. It was the perfect little sprint. I could get to work in about 13 minutes but I had a few minutes before I needed to be there so I could ride right by. I would turn it into a 28 minute cardio run.

Nice. The machine in the gym said I hit 160 at the peak one day a couple months ago, but it's a victory for me if I can hit 140 I think (I think I'm actually killing it for my age). I haven't been doing it in the gym (just bike riding) because we're running a rain deficit here this year... a little over 5 inches so far, around 5 inches deficit. I figured stair-stepper in the gym when it rains ... i.e. when I can't ride the 5 miles to and 5 miles back on my bike but have to drive my car instead, which has only happened 1 time IIRC so far this year, which has really surprised me. That 5 mile ride takes me more than 1/2 hour each way, so I figure is enough cardio. I try to ride hard enough where I feel like I've worked it! It's gotten a lot easier since I started doing it around 10 months ago when I had to change gyms 'cause my old one was shut down, dang Berkeley downtown development. I was dreading it, but it's actually worked out for me 'cause I'm getting a lot more cardio now!

When I do the stair stepper in the gym I always have my hands on the metal handles so I can watch my heart rate! Always. I don't have a machine at home. Don't have a heart rate monitor, maybe I should get one for bike riding, I suppose they're out there, haven't looked into it. My blood pressure is OK. Heart too, they tell me.

 

[deadlyapp]

Nice. The machine in the gym said I hit 160 at the peak one day a couple months ago, but it's a victory for me if I can hit 140 I think (I think I'm actually killing it for my age). I haven't been doing it in the gym (just bike riding) because we're running a rain deficit here this year... a little over 5 inches so far, around 5 inches deficit. I figured stair-stepper in the gym when it rains ... i.e. when I can't ride the 5 miles to and 5 miles back on my bike but have to drive my car instead, which has only happened 1 time IIRC so far this year, which has really surprised me. That 5 mile ride takes me more than 1/2 hour each way, so I figure is enough cardio. I try to ride hard enough where I feel like I've worked it! It's gotten a lot easier since I started doing it around 10 months ago when I had to change gyms 'cause my old one was shut down, dang Berkeley downtown development. I was dreading it, but it's actually worked out for me 'cause I'm getting a lot more cardio now!

When I do the stair stepper in the gym I always have my hands on the metal handles so I can watch my heart rate! Always. I don't have a machine at home. Don't have a heart rate monitor, maybe I should get one for bike riding, I suppose they're out there, haven't looked into it. My blood pressure is OK. Heart too, they tell me.

Highly recommend getting a chest strap for anyone who works out regularly. They only cost about $60-75 and is the only way to get an accurate HR reading while exercising. Ignore all the ones on gym machines - they're worthless.

I urge all of you to work at getting heart rate much higher during exercise. It does crazy good things for your resting HR. My full resting HR is now in the mid 40's - I probably spend about 30-40 mins/week over 160 BPM, 60-80 between 140-160 BPM, and another 60-80 between 120-140 BPM. My peak HR is somewhere around 191-192 BPM but I generally keep myself down around 187-188 max.

 

[Muse]

Highly recommend getting a chest strap for anyone who works out regularly. They only cost about $60-75 and is the only way to get an accurate HR reading while exercising. Ignore all the ones on gym machines - they're worthless.

I urge all of you to work at getting heart rate much higher during exercise. It does crazy good things for your resting HR. My full resting HR is now in the mid 40's - I probably spend about 30-40 mins/week over 160 BPM, 60-80 between 140-160 BPM, and another 60-80 between 120-140 BPM. My peak HR is somewhere around 191-192 BPM but I generally keep myself down around 187-188 max.

Don't know if it's worthwhile to ask, but here goes: Link or recommend chest straps? Are they basically all the same? I mean, I'd never heard of them before seeing your post. TIA.... !!!

 

[deadlyapp]

Don't know if it's worthwhile to ask, but here goes: Link or recommend chest straps? Are they basically all the same? I mean, I'd never heard of them before seeing your post. TIA.... !!!

Probably the most used and easily accessible one is the Polar H7 or H10. Most of them generally are the same and have a ANT+ or Bluetooth communication method.

 

[skyking]

I still use the regular old Fitbit line of heart rate monitors they do pretty well. They're not as accurate as the chest straps but it's awfully convenient.

 

[Muse]

Why are the HR monitors in the cardio machines at 24HourFitness inaccurate? I mean, they're picking up signals from your heart electronically, right?

 

[skyking]

They all can be accurate, but all of those and my Fitbit too will sometimes read either high or low. I think they're all usable if they are reasonably accurate and consistent it means you have to check them.

 

[deadlyapp]

Why are the HR monitors in the cardio machines at 24HourFitness inaccurate? I mean, they're picking up signals from your heart electronically, right?

They measure based on accurate contact with your hand, which generally means you cannot be exerting much effort to use them, and if you are, you aren't getting a good consistent reading. In addition, anything irregular about your body, such as jewelry on the hands or write, poor circulation to the hands, quality and cleanliness of the contacts, etc can affect it.

 

[Muse]

They measure based on accurate contact with your hand, which generally means you cannot be exerting much effort to use them, and if you are, you aren't getting a good consistent reading. In addition, anything irregular about your body, such as jewelry on the hands or write, poor circulation to the hands, quality and cleanliness of the contacts, etc can affect it.

If the contacts and transmission are compromised it would only give you lower readings, not higher. So if the machine says 135 I can assume at least 135.

I have seen the machines give readings I thought not accurate. For one thing, I can increase my heart rate quickly if I want by using more effort, a lot more effort all of a sudden. But it generally takes a while before the machines register the change that's actually happened. I think the algorithms used average out over a time span and don't reflect, say, the last 30 seconds so much as the last 2 minutes.

 

[snoopy7548]

I've never found those contact sensors to be accurate. I'll be at around 160bpm while the machine tells me it's 80bpm, then 130, then 70. Takes way too long to register, especially if you're in the middle of a strenuous workout.

I just put two fingers to my neck, count the number of pulses over ten seconds (watching the timer on whatever exercise machine I'm using), and multiply it by six. Close enough.

 

[Muse]

I'd like dependable figures for HR. Are the chest straps comfortable? Say, for bicycling 5 miles? On the machines at the gym. Compact? Or does a Fitbit make more sense? Or something else?

 

[Muse]

Probably the most used and easily accessible one is the Polar H7 or H10. Most of them generally are the same and have a ANT+ or Bluetooth communication method.

Did a bit of poking at Amazon and this one is looking good to me, feature-wise/price-wise, the reviews (current price $45):

Powr Labs Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap - ANT + Bluetooth Chest Heart Rate Monitor with Chest Strap - HRM Run Bike Tri Cycling - Chest Strap Heart Monitor for Strava Zwift Wahoo Garmin Polar Peloton

 

[deadlyapp]

Honestly I'd stick to the tried and true models. If $15 is gonna break you, just wait. Polar is the gold standard.

Yes it's comfortable. I wear mine and barely notice it for any movements I do.

 

[Muse]

Honestly I'd stick to the tried and true models. If $15 is gonna break you, just wait. Polar is the gold standard.

Yes it's comfortable. I wear mine and barely notice it for any movements I do.

Did you read the reviews?

You like Polar H7 or H10? The money's no big deal, but the reviews make it sound as good as the Polars. The one I linked at $45 has better Amazon review scores (4.3 vs 4.1) than the Polar H10. I see a lot of reviews at Amazon for the H10 saying it's not reliable, screwed up, had serious unfixable bluetooth issues, doesn't work for swimming (which I might try, haven't for 20 years but before my shoulder surgery, I was 7 day/week 2miles/day swimmer). My new gym has a pool, and it looks lightly used. Don't know if I can hack swimming now with my shoulder issue, but may try. The Powr Labs may work for swimming but it looks iffy.

Seriously, the reviews at Amazon appear to favor the Powr Labs one by far, and not because it's cheaper. Read them yourself.

 

[Muse]

OK, so today I should receive my new heart rate monitor strap.

I have an activated Windows phone but lately I always bring one of my unactivated cheap Android phones to the gym because they are smaller and lighter (I keep phone in my shorts while working out and listen to music with highly isolating ear buds). Gonna be riding bike 5 miles each way to/from the gym from home. While it isn't raining, I want to monitor my heart rate on the bike rides. If raining, I'll drive and get on a machine at the gym, monitor HR there.

So, not having done this before, I gather I'll want to pair the strap with the phone. But will evidently need an app to display heart rate.

I ordered a phone bracket from China, but meantime I am going to fasten phone to handlebars with a small/thin bungee cord.

So, tips? Recommended app(s)? I hope to do this tomorrow when I go to the gym! Thanks!