High blood pressure (hypertension) happens when the force of blood pushing against artery walls stays too high over time, usually because the heart is pumping harder, the arteries are narrower or stiffer, or both.
Main lifestyle causes
Several everyday habits can raise blood pressure, especially when they add up over years. Key ones include:
- Eating a lot of salt and ultra-processed foods
- Being overweight or obese
- Not getting enough physical activity
- Smoking or vaping nicotine and using other tobacco
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Regular heavy caffeine intake in some people
Health and medical causes
Sometimes blood pressure rises because of other health problems. These can include:
- Kidney disease, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Hormone and gland problems (for example thyroid or adrenal disorders)
- Pregnancy-related conditions such as preeclampsia
- Certain medications (decongestants, some birth control pills, some pain medicines, some stimulants) and some illicit drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines
Risk factors you cannot change
Some things make high blood pressure more likely even if you live fairly healthily. These include:
- Getting older
- Family history of high blood pressure
- Being Black or of some other higher‑risk ethnic backgrounds
- Having high blood pressure in pregnancy previously
Short‑term triggers
Blood pressure can also spike for short periods even in people without chronic hypertension. Common triggers include:
- Stress, pain, anxiety, or anger
- Not sleeping well
- Drinking coffee or energy drinks
- Dehydration or needing to urinate badly
What you can do next
If you are worried about your blood pressure, checking it with a home monitor or at a pharmacy and then discussing the numbers with a clinician is important. Steps like reducing salt, moving more, limiting alcohol, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy weight usually help bring numbers down and lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
