Your diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is at rest. It is the lower of the two numbers on your blood pressure measurement (the higher one, known as your systolic pressure, is the pressure in your arteries when your heart is actively pumping). High diastolic readings (above eighty millimeters of mercury, a common pressure unit) can increase your risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis (which is caused by cholesterol causing bulges in the walls of your arteries, narrowing and stiffening them).
Step 1
Reduce your stress level. Try to identify stressful situations in your life and avoid them, or learn to control your reactions. You should try relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing, to help relieve stress.
Step 2
Lose excess weight. Extra pounds can increase your diastolic blood pressure. Try to lose some of your extra weight through dieting and exercise.
Step 3
Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol and sodium consumption. According to the American Heart Association, all three of these can increase your diastolic blood pressure. Eat a low sodium diet, quit smoking (if you smoke), and limit your alcohol consumption (two drinks per day if you're a man, one per day if you're a woman).
Step 4
Take blood pressure medications. Your blood pressure is affected by the liquid volume of your blood and by how narrow your arteries are. The Mayo Clinic (see References 1) indicates that some medications (such a thiazide diuretics) work to reduce your total blood volume. Most other blood pressure medications work to relax the muscles in your arteries, either by blocking signals that cause the arteries to narrow (angiotensin receptor inhibtors, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, central acting agents, and alpha blockers) or by making your arteries expand (direct vasodilators). These medications are often used in combination to produce the maximum effect on your diastolic blood pressure. Make sure that you talk with your doctor before taking any of these medications, as each of them can cause various side effects. In some cases, one kind of medication may not be recommended if you have other health problems or are taking other medications.
