Lower Blood Pressure Naturally with Yoga
By: Mindy Eisenberg, MHSA, C-IAYT, ERYT-500 with Bettyanne Hodges, Director of Marketing, YMMS
High blood pressure is serious. It’s linked to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. But here’s the good news: you can take steps to lower it. And it doesn’t have to involve more pills. One powerful tool? Meditation.
Meditation is just the act of sitting still, breathing, and letting your thoughts come and go without holding on to them. That’s it. Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard doctor, studied what happens when people meditate. He discovered something called the “Relaxation Response.” It’s the opposite of stress. When you relax deeply, your body changes. Your heart slows down. Your breathing becomes easier. And your blood pressure drops—sometimes by 10 to 20 points.
Yoga + Meditation = a calm body and mind. Yoga isn’t just about stretching. It includes breathing exercises, slow movements, and moments of stillness that help your brain and body calm down. People who do yoga regularly often say they sleep better, feel more focused, and yes—have lower blood pressure. Even 5 minutes of meditation a day can make an impact.
When you do yoga or meditate:
- Your muscles relax.
- Your heart rate slows.
- Your stress hormones go down.
- Your blood vessels open up.
- And your blood pressure can start to fall.
Want to feel calmer? Breathe easier? Lower your blood pressure naturally? Simply follow the steps below or try a gentle yoga class. Mandy offers “Yoga Snack” on the floor or bed followed by meditation. You can join Mandy live online on Wednesdays from 9:30am to 10:30am ET, or you can find recordings with Mandy in our on demand library. In person, virtual or on demand, Yoga Moves Any Body has the perfect class for you. Your heart will thank you. Check out our On Demand Library!
Try this:
- Sit comfortably.
- Close your eyes.
- Take a deep breath in through your nose.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth.
- Repeat for five minutes.
To learn more about Mindy Eisenberg, Director of Yoga Moves MS and Bettyanne Hodges, Director of Marketing, or to learn more about our specialized classes for students with MS, Parkinson’s Disease, and related conditions go to Yoga Moves Any Body Website
To order Mindy’s book or adaptive yoga cards Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body and Adaptive Yoga Cards. (Click the link to order).
