The winter heart risk: Why does your blood pressure rise in winter?

Doctors warn that blood pressure often rises during winter due to cold-induced stress, reduced activity and hormonal changes. Experts advise regular monitoring, medication adherence and lifestyle adjustments, especially for elderly people and those with existing health conditions.

Hyderabad: The ‘nice and cold’ weather of winter is usually not associated with high blood pressure in the public’s mind. However, this perception is not true at all, as doctors point out that blood pressure typically rises in the winter and falls in the summer.

Medical studies consistently show that blood pressure is generally higher in the winter and lower in the summer. Although the phenomenon is well-documented in the medical community, there is a general lack of awareness about it among the general population.

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The primary reason for the winter rise in BP is vasoconstriction. When the body is exposed to cold, the blood vessels narrow to conserve heat and maintain internal body temperature, increasing the pressure required to pump the blood.

Public health speaker and senior neurologist from Hyderabad, Dr Sudhir Kumar, took to X to highlight this risk. “On average, BP can climb by 5 to 10 mmHg (systolic) during the cold months. While a slight rise is natural, it’s a critical signal for anyone managing hypertension or heart disease”.

Apart from cold-induced Vasoconstriction, Dr Sudhir attributed the surge in BP during winters to the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response during winters.

“Cold is a form of stress! It instantly activates your sympathetic nervous system, flooding your bloodstream with stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones are natural stimulants, causing both your heart rate and your BP to surge,” he points out.

Another reason for the rise in BP during winters, given by Dr Sudhir Kumar, is reduced physical activity during winters. Interestingly, Vitamin D deficiency during winter is also a key factor.

The specialist has urged elderly, existing hypertension patients, patients with diabetes, kidney and heart ailments to be cautious.

What can everybody do?

* Monitor BP diligently

* Continue with BP medicines

* Stay warm

* Follow indoor fitness

* Be mindful of salt intake