“Everyone needs some stress. It is what makes us get up in the morning and do the things we do. It makes us achieve things and get from A to B and in doing so our Blood Pressure has to rise – it is part of the normal way of things”.
I paraphrase slightly but the gist of the above comment came from a conversation with a Doctor recently whilst reviewing my Blood Pressure medication.
I’m quite chuffed really in that I have managed to get my blood pressure down to manageable proportions and am in the process of changing the medication.
I have been moved from amlodipine which is a Calcium Channel Blocker to Lisinopril which is described as an “Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor” – an ACE Inhibitor but this is an aside, the real purpose of this article is to discuss stress and it’s influence on High Blood Pressure.
As was mentioned earlier, if you let stress either get to you or stay (for whatever reason) at perpetually high levels the risk of acquiring stress induced High Blood Pressure obviously increases.
Also not to beat around the bush for a minute, the risk of Stress related “Late Onset” Type 2 Diabetes also increases massively.
Alongside the risk of Type Diabetes there are a whole number of associated conditions that could arise and basically none of them do you any good.
Age is not really a factor here, it used to be but with current stress levels in Society, any sustained levels of stress are not good for you.
Learn to manage your stress and deal with it. Coming to terms and understanding where you are at present is a start and trying to find ways of coping with the stress is important.
Part of the problem with sustained stress and today’s Society is that we lack either the wherewithal or the motivation to be able to deal with our stress in sensible ways.
If you follow the stereotypical picture of today’s stressed out executive, the usual response to dealing with Stress is either through Alcohol (which induces associated problems of its own) or through severe exercise via a Gym.
Now firstly let me say, that there is nothing wrong with a small drink from time to time. I have been known to participate with the odd drink myself from time to time (in my younger days of course ) but taken to excess this can also add to your High Blood Pressure instead of reducing it.
Also the same can be said for working out in the gym. If all you need to do is to work out some of your frustration from the day then OK but if you happen to be harbouring an increased and unexplained Blood Pressure level then just blundering in and assuming extreme exercise is going to solve it is slightly dangerous.
It might in fact make things worse.
If it does not sound either too trite or too obvious the best way to deal with Stress is to try and not get it in the first place. Learn to take things in your stride and above all learn to relax.
Chill, take it easy – it might just save your life.
Stephen Morgan is principle Editor for Living with High Blood Pressure and also contributes to Living with Stress
