Researchers continue to study how stress affects our health, and while we don’t know exactly how stress impacts high blood pressure, we do know that it has an effect. Stress makes us more likely to overeat or eat unhealthy foods, drink too much alcohol, smoke (or smoke more than usual), and engage in other risky behaviors that are known to have a bad effect on high blood pressure.
While stress is unavoidable, it can be managed effectively. There are some simple things you can do to reduce the amount of stress you have to deal with. These include:
- Giving yourself time to get things done. Over-scheduling yourself can increase your stress load.
- Not over-promising what you can do. There’s nothing wrong with saying “no” if adding one more responsibility would be too much for you.
- Understanding your stress triggers. Knowing what causes you to become stressed and taking steps to avoid or manage (when you can’t avoid) those triggers can help you control stress.
- Planning to address what you can change, and accepting what you can’t change. No one can do it all. Some things must be dealt with, and it’s good to have a plan in place for doing just that. But some things are out of your control. Learn to let those go.
- Taking time to relax. There are countless ways to relax, from breathing exercises to getting into a hobby, from sitting in a favorite chair and listening to soothing music to having a chat with a cherished friend. Make sure you make time to relax in a way that is good for you.
- Building relationships with people who care about you. We all need friends. Having a support network helps you get through tough times and enjoy good times all the more.
- Taking care of yourself. Eating healthy and getting plenty of physical activity has many benefits beyond your physical health – it’s great for your emotional and spiritual health. Physical activity is a great stress reducer.