Lower High Blood Pressure With Relaxation
Can you lower high blood pressure simply be learning to relax?
One in three adults suffer from either pre hypertension or mild to moderate high blood pressure and don’t even know it – high blood pressure has earned the name “silent killer” for just this reason.
The symptoms of high blood pressure include headache, dizziness, nausea and blurred vision but the commonest hypertension symptom is …. no symptom at all. All of these high BP symptoms can be masked by other conditions or they can all stand-alone. Many people suffer from headaches without having high BP just as nausea can come and go with any indications of their being a problem with hypertension.
A normal BP reading for an adult is 120/80. The 120 is known as the systolic pressure, this indicates how hard the blood is pushing while it is being pumped in the heart. The bottom number of 80 is known as the diastolic number, this number is an indicator of how hard the blood is pushing while the heart is relaxing and filling with blood.
The main things that make hypertension more of a problem include a high salt diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and obesity If it is not treated, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart disease, kidney failure and death.
All of these things can be prevented by having an annual physical done to check your BP levels, eating a healthy low salt diet, getting a moderate amount of exercise and keeping your stress levels low.
Relaxation can lower your blood pressure
Many people who suffer from hypertension are stressed and in modern life, stress is lurking around every corner. Get control of your stress levels and keep them at a low level, if that means switching jobs, then do it.
Try taking a little time everyday for yourself; put the world on hold for a change! Your dirty dishes and laundry will not get up and walk away, even though your mother probably told you they would as a child. Your work will still be waiting for you when you return from your little time away.
Meditation is an excellent stress reducing technique. Find a quite place where you will not be disturbed. Turn on some soothing music and get comfortable (in a sitting position or your likely to fall asleep) and close your eyes and let all the thoughts go… If you are new to mediation, repeating the same word over and over again often helps to clear the mind. Try a word such as peace, relax, soothing or anything that proclaims calmness. Even if you can only mediate for 15 minutes, you will “return” feeling refreshed and relaxed.
There is something to be said for a hot bubble bath, water has a very soothing effect on the body and mind. Get a scented aromatherapy candle such as lavender or vanilla and light it, turn off the lights, lean back and let your stress wash away.
If those two techniques do not appeal to you, you could try engaging in a hobby, if you love to read grab a book and head to a quite place whether it is the flower garden in your back yard or the secluded park down the street if you can sit with your back up against the base of a large tree (become one with Mother Nature) and enjoy your quiet reading time.
The important thing is to participate in something you enjoy that is relaxing as many times a week as you can. Make the time you will be glad you did!
Learn to relax – learn to lower your blood pressure – learn to prolong your life!
Gordon Cameron is a family doctor in Scotland. He has a special interest in blood pressure problems including high blood pressure and in helping people to deal with low blood pressure problems
