When you’re listening to your favorite toe-tapping tune, it’s hard to sit still — your body just wants to groove. Guess what? The reverse is true for slow music. “When you listen to slow music, whether it’s a sonata or Frank Sinatra, your heart rate gets slower and your blood pressure gets lower,” says Robert E. Kowalski, author of The Blood Pressure Cure.

Try a tater.

U.K. scientists discovered that potatoes contain chemicals called kukoamines, which can lower blood pressure. Forgo the French fries, though — peeling the skin causes potatoes to lose nutrients. For the best BP-lowering side dish, boil whole or bake your spuds.

Make it teatime.

Talk about flower power! According to a study in Phytomedicine, tea made from hibiscus flowers can lower blood pressure as much as antihypertensive medication! Drink 16 delicious ounces — hot or iced — every morning for the best results. (Hibiscus tea, $9 for 3.5 oz., taooftea.com)

Have some chocolate.

We’ll take any excuse to eat chocolate, right? Turns out there’s science to back this one up: The flavonoids in the stuff bring down blood pressure, according to a German study. But there’s no need to overindulge. It only takes one or two dark chocolate Hershey’s Kisses a day to lower your blood pressure.

Sleep it off.

A Columbia University study reports that sleeping five or fewer hours a night doubles your risk of high blood pressure. “Blood pressure naturally drops 10 to 20 percent when we sleep, and when we wake up it rises again,” says James E. Gangwisch, Ph.D., assistant professor and lead author of the study. Less time asleep means more time at the higher level, which strains your body. “Over time, the cardiovascular system responds by making that your set point,” says Gangwisch. Try to get seven or eight hours tonight. Your heart (and those bags under your eyes) will thank you.

Say a little prayer.

Pray for low blood pressure and you just might get your wish. People who participate in religious activities have lower blood pressure than those who don’t, according to findings in the Jackson Heart Study. All forms of spirituality — church attendance, watching religious TV, private prayer and daily spiritual practices — count toward achieving a healthier heart.

Go for garlic.

Mediterranean people, who frequently eat garlic, are better protected from high blood pressure than the rest of us. Fresh garlic contains the amino acid alliin, which relaxes your arteries and helps with blood flow. Bring on the hummus!

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