The Connection Between Stress and High Blood Pressure

1. The Connection Between Stress and High Blood Pressure Over the years, the level of stress that people are experiencing has been on a constant rise. People are stressed more than they have ever been throughout human history. There are many different causes for this surge of stress. However, one thing is for sure, the ever- increasing levels of stress are having an adverse impact on the health of individuals. One of the main aspects in which stress impacts health is high blood pressure. In today’s fast-paced world, stress management has become an essential skill that can directly impact the quality of your life. The link between stress and high blood pressure is still being studied. However, it has been established that stress is strongly related to increased health risks factors like increased alcohol consumption and abnormal or poor diet. When feeling stressed the body undergoes changes in which it releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline directly into the bloodstream. As a result of this, the body, involuntarily goes into a state of flight or fight, making the heart beat faster and contracts the arteries. All of this culminated in the increase of blood pressure in the body. When an individual is feeling stressed, upon measuring their blood pressure using a BP Apparatus, it can be seen that it is higher than usual. Additionally, it needs to be noted that stress only temporarily increases blood pressure. After some time, when the stress reaction subsides, the blood pressure levels again return to the rate it was before the stress had set in. This is why it is essential to use a blood pressure machine only when the patient is calm and not feeling stressed or anxious, as it can result in an incorrect reading. Being stressed can create circumstances in which the associating behaviour can lead to high blood pressure. Often stress can lead to excessive drinking and consumption of caffeine, eating unhealthy foods, overeating and loss of mobility and motivation. Although there might not be conclusive evidence of such conditions resulting in high blood pressure, it has been observed that the excessive release of hormones when experiencing prolonged stress can damage the arteries and lead to heart diseases. By having stress-reducing activities be a part of your daily life, you can potentially reduce and control your blood pressure. Stress-releasing activities are especially important prior to using Blood Pressure Machine in order to ensure that you are getting the most accurate reading and is truly indicative of your resting blood pressure. Measuring your blood pressure while being stressed will always yield a reading that shows high blood pressure and doing so can run the risk of misdiagnosing issues like hypertension and cardiac issues.