Actor and director Aisha Tyler, familiar from shows like Criminal Minds and Archer, is using her platform to spotlight high blood pressure prevention — a condition that affects nearly half of U.S. adults. The catalyst was her father’s major stroke a few years ago, which pushed her to pay closer attention to risk factors such as blood pressure.
Tyler says the stroke was unexpected because her father led an active life. That experience convinced her that risk factors aren’t always obvious from lifestyle or outward symptoms and that people should take blood pressure seriously even if they feel fine.
She partnered with the CDC Foundation to help launch Hypertension Bites, a national effort aimed at helping adults in midlife learn what high blood pressure is and how to manage it. Left uncontrolled, hypertension is the top risk factor for heart attack and stroke and can also lead to aneurysm, aortic dissection, kidney failure, and dementia.
Cardiologist Bhavna Suri, MD, of Manhattan Cardiology explains that long-term high blood pressure can thicken and weaken the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy), eventually causing heart failure. It can damage blood vessels in the eyes, producing hypertensive retinopathy and vision loss, and it contributes to atherosclerosis and problems such as erectile dysfunction.
One danger of hypertension is that many people experience no symptoms, so high blood pressure often goes unnoticed. When symptoms occur — headaches, dizziness, vision changes, fatigue — they are frequently blamed on stress, age, or poor sleep rather than elevated blood pressure. Suri stresses, however, that hypertension is manageable: while it has no single cure, many people keep their blood pressure in a healthy range through lifestyle changes and, when necessary, medication.
Tyler says the campaign’s message is straightforward: see your doctor, learn your numbers, and make a simple plan. She points out that medications work well when they’re needed, and that people shouldn’t resign themselves to thinking cardiovascular events are unavoidable or purely hereditary. Small, intentional steps can meaningfully reduce risk.
After her father’s stroke, Tyler changed how she approaches health. She shifted from the take-no-prisoners athletic mindset of her youth to prioritizing recovery and rest. ‘‘Being well-rested isn’t just about feeling good,’’ she says; it’s part of performing at her best. She reports feeling fitter and healthier now than she did a decade or more ago because she altered how she cares for both body and mind.
Her daily habits are practical: aiming for about eight hours of sleep, walking each day (sometimes twice) to clear her head, and intentionally de-stressing. She consumes information about women’s health and optimization via podcasts and online videos, favors a balanced diet with more vegetables and less junk food, and allows herself an occasional glass of wine to keep social life enjoyable.
Work-life balance has become a priority as well. Tyler describes herself as naturally busy and ambitious, but she now channels that drive in a more sustainable way that improves creativity and performance. She also values friendships and strong social connections, noting evidence that relationships help people stay active and engaged as they age.
Through Hypertension Bites, Tyler hopes to nudge people to check their blood pressure, understand their individual risks, and adopt manageable steps — whether lifestyle changes, medication, or both — to protect long-term health.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.