While the exact causes of high blood pressure are unknown, there are several factors that may contribute to its development. They include:  • A high sodium intake • A poor-quality diet • Aging • Being overweight or obese • Genetics/family history  • Having adrenal and thyroid disorders • Having chronic kidney disease • Having sleep apnea • High alcohol consumption  • Little-to-no physical activity • Smoking and/or chewing tobacco products  • Stress When the underlying cause of your hypertension can’t be found, which makes up a large percentage of cases, it’s referred to as “essential hypertension”.