Blood pressure is the pressure at which the blood is flowing in the arteries. Blood pressure is due to the pumping action of your heart. With each contraction the heart empties the blood from its chambers into the arteries and at the end of contraction the pressure is at its highest point.
As the heart relaxes the blood flows back into the heart from the veins. During this period the pressure is at its lowest point. Thus, blood pressure is expressed as two different numbers systolic (high) and diastolic (low). Blood pressure is governed by the complex body system; healthy blood pressure is found in a healthy individual, however the pressure fluctuates normally according the activity and many other factors.
When your body’s regulatory system goes awry, the blood pressure may go high beyond a certain limit and it is called high blood pressure (hypertension), if it goes low beyond a fixed limit it is termed low blood pressure or hypotension. The normal blood pressure range in a young healthy individual is considered as 120/80 mm of hg. The upper 120 range is the systolic and lower 80 is diastolic blood pressure.
What Is Healthy Blood Pressure Range?
Usually you come to know of your blood pressure when the doctor measures it. It is measured by a devise known as sphygmomanometer.
Generally blood pressure fluctuates in an individual, therefore to categorize what is normal and abnormal blood pressure, it has been classified into certain range.
A desirable normal systolic range in a healthy individual aged 18 and above is 90-120, and diastolic range is 60-80 mm of hg. A healthy blood pressure range for a woman aged 18 and above is 90 to 120 mm of hg for systolic blood pressure and 60 to 80 for diastolic blood pressure.
It is important to know normal range of blood pressure in woman because during pregnancy if it is high, immediate steps can be taken to reduce it. Pregnancy induced high blood pressure may be detrimental to mother as well as the fetal health.
In children the healthy range of blood pressure is lower than the adults and it also depends on height. The normal healthy range is 100 to110 for systolic blood pressure and 60 to 70 for diastolic blood pressure.
Normal Blood Pressure
- Pre-hypertension: 120-139/80-89
- Borderline: 120-160/90-94
- Mild: 140-160/95-104
- Moderate: 140-180/105-114
- Severe: 160+/115+
Effects Of High BP On Memory And Brain
- US researchers have said that individuals having an elevated diastolic pressure were more likely to have problems with memory and cognition. Persistently raised levels of B.P. affects concentration, recall capability and results in cognitive impairment.
- People as young as 45, with high B.P. are more likely to have memory troubles and an aggressive early treatment of the disorder will pay massive dividends.
- Georgios Tsivgoulis, of the University at Alabama in Birmingham, who led the study, said that cognitive impairment and memory deterioration, a precursor of dementia, could be prevented by prompt and aggressive treatment of high blood pressure.
- The study, published in the journal Neurology, is the largest, to look at the connection between high blood pressure and deteriorating memory.
- For every 10 point increase in the bottom blood pressure reading (the diastolic pressure), the odds of a person having cognitive troubles increased by 7%, the researchers have found.
- Walter Koroshetz, the deputy director of the National Institute of Neurological disorders and Stroke (which funded the study) supported the findings of this latest research. He concluded that high B.P. may be a risk factor for cognitive decline but emphasized on the need for further studies to understand the cause-effect relationship.
How To Maintain Normal Blood Pressure?
Various factors influence the blood pressure of an individual. Age, exercise, alcohol, stress, obesity, diet, and disease play an important role. Researchers suggest that older people, who maintain blood pressure at its lower end range, have much better cardiac health.
Following are certain tips to maintain healthy blood pressure; however some of the risk factors associated with high blood pressure such as heredity, race and age cannot be altered. Nonetheless dietary and lifestyle changes can often help to maintain healthy blood pressure.
- Maintain healthy weight: Loosing few pounds if you are overweight is beneficial in maintaining your blood pressure to its normal range.
- Exercise regularly: Exercising regularly, walking few miles will help you to reduce your weight and thus help you to keep your blood pressure to its optimum.
- Quit smoking: Smoking damages the blood vessels and increases the chances of high blood pressure which is not good for your heart.
- Keep your sodium intake low: Many people are salt sensitive, meaning that increased intake of salt can be a factor in raising their blood pressure. In order to prevent and control rise in blood pressure, use salt in moderate amount.
- Eat diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products.
- Avoid drinking alcohol.
Manage stress; yoga and meditation are valuable in maintaining healthy blood pressure.