How do you make lifestyle changes?
Making any kind of change in the way you live your
daily life is like being on a path. The path leads to success. Here are the
first steps on that path:
- Have your own reason for making a change. If you do it because someone else wants you
to, you're less likely to have success. When you have high blood pressure, the reason for making lifestyle changes is
clear: to lower your blood pressure. If you don't feel ready now, learn more about high blood
pressure and the damage it can do. When you truly want to make changes, you're
ready for the next step.
- Set goals. Include long-term goals as well as short-term goals that you can
measure easily. Your
doctor can help you figure out what your long-term goals should be for your
blood pressure. Short-term
goals are the small steps you take, week by week, to improve your
health.
- Measure improvements to
your health. Before you make lifestyle changes, ask your doctor
to check your blood pressure. Then, as you start to make changes, have your
blood pressure checked often, and keep track of the numbers. You can buy a home blood pressure monitor that is easy to use.
High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home
- Think about what might get in your way, and
prepare for slip-ups. By
thinking about these barriers now, you can plan ahead for how to deal with them
if they happen. Use a
personal action plan
(What is a document?) to write down your barriers and backup plans. - Get support from your
family, your doctor, and your friends. Tell them about your long-term and short-term goals and how they can help.
For help making lifestyle changes, see the topic Change A Habit By Setting Goals.