High blood pressure is known as the silent killer for a reason. The symptoms are almost always subtle and creep up gradually, making them difficult to detect until the disease has progressed quite far. High blood pressure can lead to coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, and even death. However, many people live with high blood pressure for years without ever knowing it As a result, most high blood pressure cases go undetected until they present as an acute medical emergency. There are many different ways to lower your blood pressure naturally. One of the most accessible methods is holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day. Does this technique lower your blood pressure? Read on to find out.
Does holding your breath lower blood pressure?
The body automatically lowers your blood pressure when you hold your breath by constricting blood vessels and muscles throughout your body. It can cause your blood pressure to drop dangerously low, making you less likely to notice dangerous events and activities that may lead to injury.
How To Hold Your Breath To Lower Blood Pressure?
- Start by exhaling all the air from your lungs.
- Next, take a deep breath, hold it for as long as you can, and then slowly exhale.
- Repeat this cycle 30 times throughout the day to lower your blood pressure naturally.
- If you have trouble holding your breath for a long period of time, try using the Valsalva Maneuver instead: pinch your nose with one hand and close your mouth while you breathe out with force through your nose to lower blood pressure quickly.
- Alternatively, hold an ice cube in your mouth while breathing normally through your nose to stimulate the carotid sinus nerve and cause vasodilation (expansion of blood vessels).
- Hold a cold pack on the back of your neck while sitting down to stimulate vasodilation and lower blood pressure naturally at home or work.
- Try taking cold showers in place of hot ones to stimulate vasoconstriction and lower blood pressure quickly at home or work without equipment or any side effects.
- Stand up straight with good posture to promote better circulation around the body and prevent high blood pressure from developing further.
How Does Breathing Change Blood Pressure?
- Breathing lowers blood pressure by stimulating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a bundle of nerves that runs from the brain to the abdomen. It is responsible for controlling a number of bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, and respiration. Deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which causes a relaxation response throughout the body. This response lowers blood pressure by slowing the heart rate and reducing breathing rate and oxygen consumption. In addition to its effects on blood pressure, deep breathing can also lower anxiety levels and promote better sleep quality.
- Breathing decreases oxygen consumption which in turn reduces blood pressure. When you breathe deeply your muscles need less oxygen to perform their tasks, so they consume less oxygen overall. The body converts excess oxygen into carbon dioxide (CO2) which is then expelled through exhalation with each breath you take. Thus, deep breathing can reduce your overall oxygen consumption while lowering your blood pressure at the same time by reducing your demand for oxygen when performing physical tasks such as exercise or manual labor.
- Breathing can lower blood pressure by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls unconscious bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, circulation, and respiration among others on an involuntary basis in response to internal or external stimuli (i.e., stress). It is divided into two branches: the sympathetic nervous system, which increases activity and prepares us for stressful situations; and the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down activity and conserves energy. Breathing deeply stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn lowers blood pressure and heart rate.
- Breathing can lower blood pressure by increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the bloodstream. CO2 is a byproduct of cellular respiration, which occurs when oxygen is used to convert glucose and other nutrients into energy through a series of chemical reactions known as metabolism. When your cells are actively metabolizing they produce more CO2 than usual, which causes your blood’s CO2 levels to rise. This increase in CO2 levels causes your blood vessels to dilate in order to lower your blood pressure and help distribute oxygen and nutrients more efficiently throughout the body.
The Health Benefits Of Breathing Techniques
Reducing Stress
When you are stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. When this occurs, your blood pressure rises and becomes more difficult to control. Holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day can help you release the stress hormones that are causing this reaction in your body.
Increasing Circulation
Holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day increases circulation because it causes your heart rate to increase slightly. This is a natural response that is intended to increase blood flow to all of the vital organs in order to keep them functioning properly during times of stress or danger. When you hold your breath for short intervals throughout the day, it activates what is called the “Fight or Flight” response in your body which causes an increase in blood flow and overall circulation.
Improving Your Mood
The mood-boosting effects of holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day are often overlooked by people who don’t understand how they work, but they can actually be quite powerful when used regularly over time. When you hold your breath for short intervals throughout the day, it causes a release of endorphins into your bloodstream which can help to combat depression and anxiety symptoms caused by chronic stressors such as financial instability or relationship problems.
Relieving Headaches
There are a number of different ways to relieve headaches without using over-the-counter medications that come with a variety of harmful side effects. One of the most effective methods is holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day. The increased circulation that is caused by this technique helps relieve pressure in the head and can often alleviate symptoms within minutes
Improving Your Memory
Holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day has actually been shown to improve memory in some cases because it causes an increase in blood flow to all of the vital organs in your body including the brain, heart, and lungs. When you hold your breath for short intervals throughout the day, it causes an increase in oxygen levels which can help to improve memory and brain function overall.
Reducing Pain
If you are suffering from chronic pain, holding your breath for short intervals throughout the day can help you reduce or even eliminate those symptoms entirely because it causes an increase in endorphin levels which can help to reduce pain levels and make them more manageable over time.
Conclusion
Holding your breath for short intervals can lower blood pressure, but only temporarily. It is better to focus on long-term solutions to high blood pressure, such as a healthy diet and exercise. Holding your breath can be a useful technique for lowering your blood pressure in moments of high stress. It can also be used to improve posture and increase the range of motion in your spine. Holding your breath is not a long-term solution to high blood pressure, but it can be useful in the short term to reduce stress and anxiety.
