1. Reduce Stress, Say No to the Rest
It's far too easy to say "Yes" to everything that's asked of us, but far too hard to manage it all. Learning to say "No" is a huge factor in managing stress and hypertension. Re-evaluate your priorities and values, and only say "Yes" to things that are truly important to you. Determining how much you can handle in any given time period is personal, and you should resist feeling guilty about not doing it all. The most important thing is only taking on as much as you can handle and realizing that doing it all is going to lead to health problems in the future.
2. Eat Your Veggies
The body is better able to fight stress when it's given a proper balance of nutrients to stay healthy. Lean meats, whole grains, five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily and restricting the amount of salt, fat, alcohol and caffeine will help you to reach and maintain a healthy weight too. Don't try to make all the necessary dietary changes at once. Instead, make small changes over time, and remember everything is OK in moderation. The goal is a heart healthy diet overall.
3. Sweat Off the Stress
Exercise is not only a great stress reducer, but it also reduces high blood pressure. It's best to choose non-competitive sports when stress reduction is the goal. Endorphins release during aerobic exercise, which naturally help you maintain a positive attitude. Manage hypertension and exercise several times a week with an activity that gets your blood pumping.
4. Spend Time in Dreamland
Giving your mind and body time to rest with at least six to eight hours of sleep each night also help reduce stress, thereby easing hypertension. Stress can sometimes make it tough to either fall asleep or stay asleep. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Limit your consumption of caffeine in the afternoon. Don't exercise within two to three hours of bedtime. If sleep just won't come, get up and do something until you feel sleepy, and try not to focus on the fact that you lost precious sleep.
5. Imagine Less Stress
You can't completely remove stress from life, so learning how to cope with it through the use of relaxation techniques can help. Take slow, deep breaths, holding each for a few seconds, and exhale slowly. Take note of the muscles in the body cramped from stress and focus on relaxing them. Do gentle shoulder and neck rolls and feel some of the stress leaving your body. Play relaxing music when stress levels are high. Close your eyes and picture yourself somewhere pleasant and relaxing.
