Managing High Blood Pressure by Managing Stress

manage stressWe are faced with a number of changes in our lives. The old saying, “life happens” generally means take the changes as they come and keep it moving. The human body is not equipped to distinguish between distress and eustress. Amazing life changes happens such as getting acknowledged for an accomplishment, passing the preliminary exams for a PhD program, getting the job of your dreams, or even getting the funding you have worked so hard to apply for consideration. Contrarily, changes that can be viewed as less than optimal such as being passed over for a promotion, losing the sole source of your family’s income, death of dreams, and rejection are all sources of stress. Good or bad, these events affect hypertensive rates potentially leading to a more serious chronic illness such as heart attacks, strokes, or even metabolic disease.

Often people, especially scientist and clinicians think their stress is just a way of life and there is nothing that can be done about that constant state. Scientist are always on the hunt for research funding and publishing; while clinicians holds the consequences of a person’s life in each of their decisions. These are significant burdens for a person to hold. It is imperative to manage stress as a means of preventing and treating high blood pressure. It is definitely easier said than done, but attempting these steps to control stress could lead to a better life:

  • Sleep quality and quantity can make a huge difference in managing mental alertness and energy but sleep allows the body time to relax and heal. Quality sleep can aid in the reduction of blood pressure leading to vascular repair.
  • Reiki principles that include meditation enhances muscle and mental relaxation. This include activities such as guided imagery, deep breathing, and massage therapy to act as stress-relievers.
  • Strengthen your social network. Connect with others by taking a class, joining an organization, or participating in a support group.
  • Try to resolve negative situations quickly so they do not fester. It is best to let go of adverse events and interactions; whether it is something that is in or out of your control
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a counselor. Although there is a negative stigma surrounding seeing a therapist they are the best resource for dealing with stressful situations because your spouse, friends, and neighbors generally have as much going on as you and their opinions can be clouded by their own experiences.

I recently started working with a mentor to help with stress and how to interact with individuals to manage stress. As the young adults say, “I like to keep it 100” but often being brutally honest is not received well by the masses. I also made the determination that whether working or interacting on a personal level, I will not extend myself beyond my comfort zone nor will I compromise my values or ethics to fit into anyone’s idea of what I should be doing. Staying true to oneself is among the first steps to happiness and managing blood pressure. I have found that when I over extend myself, my stress level increases and my performance decrease in some areas (namely self care). My life, your life, is not worth negativity. Being that stress is inevitable, I choose the eustress. It is my opinion that this type of stress leads to self happiness and the contribution of the happiness of others.

Thank you for reading this blog. If you would like to share some of your methods for dealing with stress or how you keep your life stress limited, let me know comment or tweet @AnberithaT so we can share ideas.