1. Stress Makes Your Blood Boil
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the movement of blood against the walls of your arteries while the heart pumps blood throughout the body. The more pressure applied to the blood flow against the artery walls, the higher your blood pressure rises. It's hard to detect since there are no obvious symptoms other than headaches. However, stress from emotional situations, such as illness or a death in the family, trigger blood pressure spikes. Job situations, such as increased workload, can also trigger stress, which in turn triggers high blood pressure. The correlation between stress and high blood pressure varies since some people handle stressful situations better than others. You can relieve stress and lower your blood pressure risk through meditation, yoga or by venting your problems to a loved one. Blood pressure returns to normal once the stressful situation ends.
2. Meds May Cause a Spike
Kidney disease, thyroid disease and even sleep apnea cause secondary hypertension. The production of too much or too little of the thyroid hormone causes spikes in blood pressure. Kidney disease affects blood pressure because the body cannot easily remove excess salt and water. Sleep apnea obstructs the airways, and therefore increases the risk of high blood pressure. If you're required to take other medications, it's important to monitor your blood pressure. Acetaminophen, decongestants, antihistamines and NSAIDs may cause fluid retention, narrow your blood vessels and interfere with medicines you may be taking to control blood pressure. There's also a link between oral contraceptives and high blood pressure. You increase your risk if you're overweight, you're a smoker and you're over 35 years old. Lifestyle or prescription adjustments may be necessary if oral contraceptives raise your blood pressure.
3. Lifestyle Changes Could Be the Solution
Alcohol and caffeine raise blood pressure because they cause the heart to work harder. Too much alcohol causes heart, liver and brain damage in the long run. If you choose not to eliminate alcohol and caffeine from your diet, then limit them to a maximum of one or two drinks a day. Smoking cigarettes constricts the blood vessels and forces the heart to beat faster, which also increases your risk of heart disease. Foods high in sodium and fat also raise blood pressure, so pick low-fat alternatives and limit salt to less than 2,400mg daily. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, poultry, fish and lean meats to reduce weight and maintain a healthier body. Being overweight and living a sedentary lifestyle is also a risk factor. Excess fat around the heart and organs affect blood pressure, so regular exercise is another way to lower the spike.
