Amid the pandemic, inflation, and the many other global challenges that affect people’s everyday lives, it’s been a stressful few years. So it comes as no surprise that stress management has become an increasingly important topic in the healthcare arena and beyond.
While everyone responds to stress in their own way, some individuals may find it taxing on their physical health. Physical symptoms of stress can include excessive sweating, lowered immunity, erectile dysfunction, and even elevated blood pressure.
Keep reading to learn more about the relationship between stress and blood pressure, and helpful tips for managing stress more effectively.
What is the Connection Between Stress and Blood Pressure?
Stress is a natural bodily response to a perceived threat. When you get stressed, your heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure typically increase. These physical reactions prepare your body to fight or flee.
This fight-or-flight response is deeply rooted in humans. It was highly advantageous to people living thousands of years ago, when perceived threats were often matters of life and death. Being physically prepared to either confront a threat or escape from it increased their chances of survival.
While humans are no longer staring down saber-tooth tigers, their bodies respond to stressful situations in a similar fashion. This can have negative health repercussions – especially when it happens frequently.
Stress hormones
When a person is stressed, their body releases two hormones: cortisol and adrenaline.
Cortisol limits the energy you expend on unessential functions like digestion and prepares the body by increasing the availability of sugars.
Adrenaline increases your respiration rate and heart rate, and causes your blood vessels to narrow. These actions can increase your blood pressure.
Chronic stress and blood pressure
Chronic stress occurs when the body is constantly stressed and remains in fight-or-flight mode for extended periods of time. This can elevate blood pressure, causing serious health problems in the long-term.
High blood pressure can damage your arteries by making them less elastic. This decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health issues.
What are Healthy Methods of Coping with Stress?
As stated earlier, stress has a very real impact on your body and overall health.
Here are some strategies that can help you reduce high blood pressure and other physiological impacts of stress.
Breathing exercises
Stress hormones like adrenaline can affect numerous bodily functions, including your respiration rate and nervous system.
Controlled breathing exercises can be effective stress relievers. They help you calm down and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Practicing deep breathing, in particular, will force your body to relax.
The 4:4:4 method is a popular breathing exercise you may want to try. With this method, you inhale for four seconds, hold the air in for four seconds, and then exhale for four seconds.
Talk to someone
Humans are social beings. When you’re feeling stressed, talking to someone can help you calm down and get perspective about your stressors.
You can choose to talk to a family member, friend, or even a professional when dealing with particularly stressful times. Licensed mental health professionals like therapists can be invaluable support in helping you learn how to manage your stress.
Physical activity
Exercise, particularly cardio workouts, helps you manage your stress while supporting your body and mind.
For starters, it gives you something to take your mind off of your stressor.
Second, it causes your body to release feel-good chemicals known as endorphins, which can help you relax.
Lastly, working exercise is beneficial for optimal heart health.
Meditation
All too often, stressors are related to worries about the future or past.
Meditation can be very helpful for lowering stress levels as it aims to center your attention on the present moment.
Some good meditation practices include mindful breathing, noticing sensations in your immediate environment, imagery, and noting how your body feels. These practices may seem small, but they can be quite helpful in settling the mind.
Self-care
Often, people get so wrapped up in the grindy of daily life, they forget to take time for themselves. This can lead to a stress-related phenomenon known as burnout. To avoid burnout and keep stress levels under control, practicing self care is extremely important.
As its name suggests, self care is the practice of taking care of yourself. It’s taking actions that help you achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
Self care can take on many forms. It can be something as simple as taking a bath, reading a good book, or even making yourself a nutritious meal.
All of these things can lower your stress levels and help you feel calmer and healthier overall.
When Stress Management isn’t Enough
While stress management techniques are helpful, some people need additional support to feel like their best, most balanced self.
This is especially true for people with anxiety disorders or panic disorders. These conditions can pose a real problem to a person’s overall quality of life and must be treated with care. In such cases, it is best to seek out professional help to find the best option for you.
While addressing mental health was once highly stigmatized, things are changing.
Today, discussing mental health and seeking treatment is becoming more normalized.
How Rex MD Can Help
Stress is an inherent part of life. It can cause high blood pressure and other physical issues if it isn’t treated properly. If you want to keep your blood pressure numbers down and avoid developing a cardiovascular disease, being proactive is key.
Making healthy lifestyle choices and employing stress management techniques can help lessen the physical effects of stress. As a result, you can reduce stress-induced health issues and live a happier, healthier life.
While the techniques above are a good starting point, it’s important to understand that every person is different. What reduces stress in one person may not be for another. Ultimately, it is up to you to find the strategies that best meet your needs.
