Relaxation and good sleep key to managing high blood pressure

decorative Mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga should be recommended to people with high blood pressure, according to a comprehensive review of lifestyle changes that can help prevent and manage the condition, co-authored by UCL's Professor Bryan Williams. People should also be advised to get quality sleep and reduce their exposure to air pollution, according to the wide-ranging position paper from the International Society of Hypertension (ISH). For the paper, published in the Journal of Hypertension , an international panel of experts from 18 countries made recommendations on effective lifestyle changes for blood pressure control, based on the latest clinical and scientific evidence. The paper highlights perhaps less obvious strategies such as stress management and sleep quality alongside long-standing recommendations to: Hypertension affects around 4 in 10 people worldwide. There are effective medications for high blood pressure, but the best approach is often to start with lifestyle interventions, before introducing drug treatment if needed. The authors of the paper said healthcare professionals should consider stress reduction and mindfulness-based therapies for people with high blood pressure, pointing to evidence that practices such as meditation, muscle relaxation, yoga and deep breathing techniques can all lower blood pressure. They also said healthcare professionals should explore all aspects of a patient's sleep, including duration, quality and timing, and they recommend population-based awareness campaigns advocating for better sleep quality.