Why is blood pressure out of control in autumn and winter? What should I do? Doctors teach you 3 tips

In autumn and winter , many patients with high blood pressure will encounter the same problem: their blood pressure, which was originally well controlled, suddenly rises again! What is going on?

Because blood pressure fluctuates with the seasons. The level of blood pressure is proportional to blood volume, peripheral vascular resistance and heart burden . In autumn and winter, when the temperature drops, the body will experience the following changes in these three factors to resist the cold, leading to increased blood pressure:

1. When the weather is cold, the human body sweats less and the blood volume increases relatively; in addition, when it is cold, energy consumption is high, the appetite increases, and the blood volume also increases.

2. In order to reduce heat dissipation from the skin, capillaries contract and peripheral vascular resistance increases.

3. In order to maintain body temperature, the excitability of the body's sympathetic nerves increases, the heartbeat becomes faster and stronger, increasing the burden on the heart.

Therefore, in autumn and winter, we should take early measures to deal with the above three points, which can greatly reduce the occurrence of uncontrolled blood pressure:

1. Eat a light diet and limit sodium intake. You can choose low-sodium or potassium-containing salt. When the body takes in more sodium, the blood volume increases, which can cause high blood pressure. Surveys show that the average daily salt intake of Chinese residents exceeds 9 grams, while the World Health Organization recommends no more than 5 grams.

2. Add or remove clothes in time and keep warm both indoors and outdoors. Research suggests that when the room temperature is greater than 5°C, the systolic blood pressure increases by 6.2 mmHg for every 1°C drop in temperature.

In addition, avoid overeating . A sudden increase in food intake will not only increase blood volume, but also cause overweight or obesity, which will increase the burden on the heart and cause blood pressure to rise.

3. Avoid strenuous exercise to reduce the burden on the heart. Different levels of hypertension patients are suitable for different exercises .

Patients with mild hypertension (blood pressure <160/100mmHg) can do normal exercise, such as playing ball, mountain climbing and swimming; patients with moderate hypertension (blood pressure <180/110mmHg) can do some low-intensity exercise, such as jogging and Tai Chi, after their blood pressure stabilizes. However, patients with severe hypertension (blood pressure >180/110mmHg) are advised not to exercise yet.

It is worth noting that when blood pressure fluctuates, the frequency of blood pressure measurement should be increased, such as three times a day in the morning, noon and evening, and records should be kept and medical treatment should be sought in time, and the drug intensity should be adjusted under the guidance of the doctor. In addition, long-acting antihypertensive drugs should be used as much as possible to achieve continuous and stable blood pressure reduction and reduce the possibility of complications such as cerebral hemorrhage due to blood pressure fluctuations.

I am Dr. Zhang from the Department of Cardiology. If you like my popular science articles, please like them! You can also share them with friends in need! Follow me to see more health knowledge about heart disease!