Stress. High amounts of stress can cause an elevation in blood pressure for a short period of time. Stress-related behaviours such as eating more, smoking more, or drinking more can cause blood pressure to rise even higher. Certain chronic diseases are also known to cause blood pressure to fluctuate. Age. The older you get, the more likely it is that your blood pressure will go up and down throughout your life. This is called "age-associated hypertension." The reasons for this are not clear, but may be related to changes in hormones or fluid balance as you age. Gender. Women's blood pressures usually vary more than men's do. This is true even among people who have always had the same level of exposure to stress and disease. Some studies have shown women who live in less developed countries to have blood pressures that range from 100 mm Hg over 80 mm Hg to 150 mm Hg over 110 mm Hg. Men's blood pressures typically range from 120 mm Hg over 100 mm Hg to 180 mm Hg over 110 mm Hg. Race. Black Americans with high blood pressures tend to suffer from it more than white Americans do. This may be due to differences in genetics, but also may be due to racial discrimination in employment or access to health care. People of Asian descent often have lower blood pressures than whites or blacks of comparable age, gender, and weight.