How Does Drinking Water Affect Your Blood Pressure Levels?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, happens when the force that your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries and veins becomes higher than it should be. While you can maintain it through medicines

and lifestyle changes, one of the most organic ways is to drink water regularly. Since blood is around 90 per cent water, dehydration can reduce your blood volume and lead to the blood vessels becoming narrow, raising blood pressure. And so, you need to be well hydrated with 6 to 8 glasses of water daily to maintain balance.

How does dehydration increase blood pressure?

Doctors say dehydration happens when your body loses more water than it can replace, and that may happen because of excessive sweating, diarrhoea, vomiting, or even too much urination. And so, when you become dehydrated, your body loses electrolytes - those that usually help muscles contract and regulate the movement of fluids in and out of your cells through sodium. Sodium is important for maintaining electrolytes for normal blood pressure. It also supports the contraction and relaxation of muscles - including those in your blood vessels. So, when the sodium levels go low, it triggers the release of vasopressin, a hormone that helps your body hold on to water. And so, high blood pressure can also lead to acute kidney failure, making your body go into shock due to lack of oxygen, ultimately causing organ failure.

How does drinking water normalise blood pressure?

If you are dehydrated, drinking adequate water can normalise your blood pressure. According to experts, drinking water helps control blood pressure by preventing dehydration. - thereby balancing sodium and electrolytes.

How much water is needed for optimal blood pressure?

According to experts' recommendations, your daily water intake should be around six to eight glasses a day, or 64 fluid ounces. Researchers found this amount effective in multiple studies. But how much water you need can also depend on many factors, which include:

• Your age
• Your sex
• How much do you weigh
• The kind of temperature and climate you are in
• How much physical activity do you get
• Whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Other fluids that help maintain blood pressure

Apart from water, a few other natural drinks that can help with high blood pressure – by keeping you hydrated, include:.

Beet juice

According to studies, drinking around 250 mL of beet juice daily lowers both top and bottom blood pressure numbers (systolic and diastolic) after two weeks.

Tomato juice

Experts say those who drink around 200 mL of unsalted tomato juice every day can mark lower blood pressure after one year.

Pomegranate juice

Drinking around 240 mL of unsweetened pomegranate juice daily helps lower blood pressure after 12 weeks.

Low-fat milk

Low-fat milk is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure.