Compared to high blood pressure (hypertension), low blood pressure (hypotension) generally has a much lower risk of serious health issues. In fact, low blood pressure in otherwise healthy people is a sign of good health. But if your blood pressure is too low, you can have disturbing symptoms such as fatigue or lack of vitality. Low blood pressure over time can also cause long-term problems. We will help you understand your low blood pressure and how to treat it with some home remedies for low blood pressure.
What is Blood Pressure? Is Yours High or Low?
Blood pressure is the measurement of how your blood moves through your circulatory system. Blood flows through your blood vessels, arteries, and capillaries to supply your entire body with everything it needs. Your heart beats to push the blood (circulate.) When your heart beats, the pressure within your circulatory system increases. Between beats, the pressure decreases. The measurement of these two conditions is your blood pressure.
The unit of measurement for blood pressure is expressed in “millimeters of mercury” or mmHG. The devices that measure blood pressure use mercury enclosed in a capsule, which responds to the resistance (pressure) on the measuring cuff attached to your arm.
Blood pressure consists of two different numbers, the “top” or systolic, and the “bottom” or diastolic. The systolic number represents the the pressure on your arteries and veins when your heart beats. The diastolic is the pressure between beats, when your heart rests and receives its own supply of blood.
Blood Pressure: Low, Normal, High Ranges
Before you start using home remedies for low blood pressure you should make sure that your blood pressure is actually too low. Normal blood pressure according to the American Heart Association is as follows:
- Normal Range (Systolic/”Top”) and (Diastolic/”Bottom) is less than 120 / 80.
- Elevated: 120-129 / 80
- Stage 1 High: 130-139 / 80-89
- Stage 2 High: 140+ / 90+
- Crisis: 180+ / 120+
Low blood pressure is considered less than 90 / 60. If you have low blood pressure you may not experience any symptoms. But chances are, if you are here you may be experiencing one or more of the symptoms of low blood pressure. If so, our home remedies for low pressure may be a great way to relieve some of the symptoms. First, lets look at some of the common symptoms.
Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure can cause fainting upon rising suddenly, or after long periods of standing upright. Some other common symptoms of low blood pressure include:
- Temporary visual impairments (seeing spots, blurry vision, or tunnel vision)
- Fatigue and increased need for sleep
- Listlessness or depressive moods
- Pulsating headaches
- Ringing in the ears
- Dizziness
- Brief loss of consciousness, fainting or collapsing
- Heart palpitations
- Increased sensitivity to cold and cold sweats
- Cold hands and feet
- Nausea
- Poor concentration
- Excessive thirst
Despite persistent feelings of fatigue, people suffering from hypotension often experience insomnia and restlessness, which sometimes leads to a misdiagnosis of depression in elderly patients.
Be sure to consult with your physician if you are having any symptoms. Low blood pressure could be a sign of something more serious. And you should always be aware of your overall health before starting any treatment regimen, even natural home remedies for low blood pressure. Next, let’s look at some of the causes of low blood pressure.
Causes of Low Blood Pressure
Frequently, low blood pressure arises without identifiable causes. Much like hypertension, hypotension may accompany other, more serious health conditions, but can also be a natural part of pregnancy, a side effect of medication, or just your natural biology.
Commonly causes of low blood pressure can include:
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte deficiency, particularly sodium (salt)
- Nutrient deficiency, particularly vitamin B12 and iron
- Severe blood loss
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Chronic health conditions such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, kidney disease, or some infections may also be contributing factors
If you are in particularly good health and are very active and fit, you may also naturally have slightly low blood pressure. Low blood pressure also affects women more often than men. Long term low blood pressure can lead to other serious problems. Angina (chest pain) and heart disease or even heart attacks can arise from chronic low blood pressure. Your kidneys can also be affected. Poor kidney function means that toxins like urea and creatinine can build up in your blood.
Consult with a medical professional, if symptoms related to low blood pressure arise or persist. If you have seen your doctor and are looking for ways to help increase your blood pressure naturally, read on. We’ve gathered some home remedies for low blood pressure that may help you feel better.
Hildegard’s Home Remedies for Low Blood Pressure
In the absence of a known health condition contributing to low-blood pressure, consider practicing a holistic healing approach to your well-being. Holistic health and wellness according to Hildegard of Bingen would include activities such as meditation in nature, or moderate walks after meals. You may also consider taking full body baths and using oils and creams enhanced by essential oils to stimulate a sense of well-being and to enhance metabolism.
Hildegard valued the stimulating and healing effects of plants, whether through gardening, incorporating fresh smelling flowers and healing spices into our environment, or through the consumption of healing plants, she believed that cultivating our interconnectivity with nature was key to preventing and healing illness. She expresses this connectivity in her notion of viriditas, the “greening” power of nature is central in much of our general health and wellness.
Hildegard believed in self-regulation as the best of all low blood pressure home remedies. Through awareness of our connectivity to our environment and a conscious, purposeful approach to managing your lifestyle, you can strengthen your natural disposition.
Natural Home Remedies for Low Blood Pressure
We included several home remedies for low blood pressure so you can choose what works best for your body and lifestyle. Later, we list some herbal remedies. First, lets look at some things you can do on your own to help improve blood flow and relieve your symptoms.
Here are some ideas:
- Cold Water Therapy
- Drink more water
- Have a cup of coffee or tea
- Exercise
- Compression Stockings
- Eat more frequent meals
- Salt
Hydrotherapy
Sebastian Kneipp believed in the healing power of water. For mild cases of low blood pressure (hypotension), a practice of taking warm (not hot), or preferably cold, showers helps stimulate a healthy increase in blood pressure. For a particularly effective low blood pressure home remedy, consider switching between hot and cold water in the shower.
Hydration
As with many basic health conditions, pay close attention to proper hydration. Our most basic home remedy for low blood pressure is to drink plenty of hydrating fluids. Hydration helps keep your blood volume high. Higher blood volume helps keep blood pressure up. Simply increasing your average intake of water can increase blood pressure enough to improve many of the symptoms of low blood pressure.
Caffeine
As part of your increased hydration, you can also include a moderate intake of fluids that promote circulation, such as tea or coffee. Caffeine can stimulate your circulation, raise your hear rate, and temporarily increase your blood pressure. Scientists are unclear exactly how caffeine increases blood pressure, but it works. So have an unsweetened caffeinated beverage to help with your symptoms of low blood pressure.
Exercise
Another of our simple home remedies for low blood pressure is moderate exercise. Exercise can be a great way to increase blood pressure while providing many other benefits.
Stretching exercises like yoga and tai chi or even basic stretches at home can help stimulate blood pressure. Resistance (weight) training also has many benefits including improving circulation, stabilizing blood pressure, increasing bone density, increasing metabolism, and improving hormonal balance.
Compression Stockings
For some people, wearing compression stockings serves as one of the most effective low blood pressure home remedies. Compression stocking serve to prevent blood from pooling in the legs. The superficial constriction on the legs helps keep more blood in your head, heart, and other essential organs. With low blood pressure, keeping blood higher up in your body often resolves many of the symptoms. This is particularly effective if you suffer from dizziness when standing.
Eat More Frequently
Eating more often can help regulate your blood flow as well as your nutrient and electrolyte balance. Spreading small meals out during the day may help you avoid some of the causes of low blood pressure.
Salt
Sodium (salt) is an essential substance for many basic bodily functions. It is carried in your blood stream in order to perform important regulatory and signaling functions at the cellular level. Increasing your salt intake is an easy way to increase your low blood pressure. It is also important to increase your salt intake if you are very active and have low blood pressure. You lose salt through sweat, so when you hydrate, be sure to include an electrolyte supplement or to have an extra teaspoon of salt throughout the day. It doesn’t take much, so a little salt could go a long way to ease your symptoms.
7 Herbal Home Remedies for Low Blood Pressure
Rosemary
Rosemary contains several essential oils. Chief among them is camphor, which in mild cases serves as one of our low blood pressure home remedies. Although rosemary is formally recognized for its treatment of gastro intestinal disorders, it may be ingested or applied topically in cases of low blood pressure. The essential oil camphor helps stimulate the respiratory system and promote blood circulation.
Rosemary is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers, because the herb can have toxic effects over prolonged use, or in high doses.
(1) Rosemary tea
For one cup of tea, use one teaspoon of rosemary leaves and steep for 10 minutes in a cup of boiling water. Drink two to three cups daily.
(2) Rosemary aromatherapy
Add 7 drops of rosemary to a fragrance lamp, and allow it to evaporate slowly. You’ll notice an invigorating effect immediately.
(3) Rosemary wine
Add 4 teaspoons of dried rosemary leaves to 1 liter of white wine and let the combination steep for 1 week before straining. Store the resulting mixture in cold temperature for up to one month. Take 2-3 shot-sized glasses, daily.
(4) Rosemary cream
Rosemary contributes to healthier skin by increasing blood flow. Use a topical ointment containing 6-10% of rosemary essential oil along with 3-5% of camphor. Rub this cream or essential oil on the chest 2 to 3 times, daily.
(5) Rosemary bath
Add 10 to 15 drops of rosemary oil along with 1 cup of rosemary cream to hot bath water (100 to 102 degree Fahrenheit). Plan for a 20 to 30 minute bathing time.
Lavender
Even in low concentrations, lavender has the effect to stimulate blood circulation in the body. Much like rosemary oil, lavender oil contains camphor, which has a stimulating effect when applied topically.
(6) Lavender aromatherapy
Lavender is traditionally used in aromatherapy. For this purpose add 3 drops of lavender oil to a fragrance lamp and allow it to evaporate.
Calamus Root (Acorus calamus)
Calamus root serves to stimulate metabolism and promote circulation. Its essentials oils contain terpenes, which are aromatic organic hydrocarbons that contribute to their scent, flavor, and color. The terpenes also have medicinal properties as well as being natural antimicrobial.
(7) Calamus bath
To prepare a bath using calamus root, add 1 cup of dried, untreated calamus root to a liter of boiling water. Allow 15 minutes to steep, separate and strain the calamus root, and then add the resulting water to your bath water. You may repeat the cooking process to draw more essential oils from the calamus root.
