Stress and High Blood Pressure
No this is not your mother calling to remind you to take care of yourself, but I am here to raise awareness about the link between stress and high blood pressure. You know this site is not a medical site, but I do care about each one of you and how the crazy-busy life you lead is affecting your health.There seems to be lots of discussion regarding how stress and high blood pressure are connected. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is not a condition that you can feel. You can have elevated high blood pressure and feel fine. High blood pressure has often been called the silent killer because there are no symptoms. There is recent research that many emotions associated with stress—anxiety, anger, and depression—uniquely contribute to the onset and recovery from high blood pressure, angina, and other cardiovascular conditions. At this site, we have articles which describe the physical effects of stress and how the body reacts. At first, stress and high blood pressure work together well with an increase in hormones pumped into your body. Stress increases blood pressure in the short term, but chronic long term stress may contribute to permanently raise your blood pressure. If you have a family history of high blood pressure and/or heart problems, please have regular checkups with your doctor, and try to follow her advice. Although the stress by itself may not directly cause your long-term high blood pressure, it may be an indirect contributor. If you cope with your stress by partaking in unhealthy behaviors— such as eating or drinking alcohol in excess, or maintaining poor sleeping habits —the results may cause blood pressure that is continuously elevated. Also, an ongoing series of short-term stress-related spikes in your blood pressure may put you at risk of developing long-term high blood pressure. Do you know how to cope with stress ? Do you allow yourself time to recover from a stressful situation before you are involved in another stressful situation? Stress and high blood pressure may not seem to apply to you because you “feel fine.” It is always good to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. Too much stress with little or no coping skills keeps the body “revved up.” Learning to relax can help lower your blood pressure, and we have posted several articles here about relaxation techniques. Elevated blood pressure always should be discussed with your family physician who can help you sort out whether your elevated blood pressure is due to a medical or genetic condition or a reaction to uncontrolled stressors. Over the long term, people who react more to stress have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Don’t let stress and high blood pressure contribute to this disease. This risk particularly is linked to people who tend to be excessively competitive, impatient, hostile, and move and talk quickly. These people are often identified as Type A personalities. One stress management strategy to include in your weekly schedule is physical exercise. Exercise and stress are directly related. Physical exercise can lower your stress and levels. Your physician may suggest that exercise also helps lower your blood pressure. And if you've been diagnosed with hypertension, doing activities that can help you manage your stress and improve your health can make a long-term difference in lowering your blood pressure. Please take time to take care of your health so that stress and high blood pressure do not become debilitating enemies. How Does Stress Affect Health New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
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Effective Stress Management: Listening to the Body
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