That includes not exercising, being overweight, having excess salt and alcohol intake, poor quality sleep, and a high stress level."
"Age is a major risk factor" for high blood pressure, says Dr. Leann Poston, a medical advisor to Impakt Fitness. The risk of high blood pressure begins to rise at about age 45.
To reduce your risk of high blood pressure and its complications, have your doctor check your blood pressure annually and follow their advice to keep it in a healthy range.
"Salt intake is a significant cause of elevated blood pressure," says Dr. Alexander Morse, a cardiologist with Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia.
"It's used for preserving food and tastes good, meaning it's in almost every food.People don't think of how much salt we ingest and it's much more than just adding salt at the table."
"Sitting or lying in a place for consistent hours is another main cause of high blood pressure," says Dr. Mark Davis, a physician with Pacific Analytics.
"An inactive daily routine keeps the arteries of the heart less flexible and more rigid that puts pressure on them, leading to high blood pressure."
"Being overweight or obese are additional risk factors," says Poston. "Obesity causes an increase in inflammation, which is thought to contribute to high blood pressure."
To reduce your risk of high blood pressure and other serious health conditions, drink only in moderation, meaning no more than one drink a day