Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is something that is more common in women than in men. First and foremost, it should be noted that hypertension should only be diagnosed and treated by a doctor, because there may be other reasons that your blood pressure is high other than those listed below. If you suspect that you have high blood pressure, it’s strongly urged that you see a doctor.
Stress
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One of the big contributing factors for people with high blood pressure is stress. Stress is everywhere – at our job, at home, in traffic. Things just seem to make us upset easily, especially as we grow older. So how do you avoid stress? It can’t be avoided completely, but there are some things that you can do to help reduce the amount of stress in your life.
Getting proper sleep is a key factor in helping you cope better with things that may come your way during the day. When our bodies are tired, we tend to blow things out of proportion more than when we have had proper rest. The less rest you have, the more you will become stressed.
Exercise is another good stress reliever. When possible, get yourself away from the stressful situation. Take a walk, go to the gym, and punch a punching bag, all very good stress relievers. Yoga is another relaxing form of exercise that can help to relieve stress.
Another good way to relieve stress is to allow you to cry. It has been said that the stress hormones are released in tears, which is why you feel better after a good cry.
When possible, turn off your cell phone. Give yourself time away from the things that contribute stress.
Inherited high blood pressure
If high blood pressure runs in your family, you have a better chance of having it yourself. Let your doctor know that there is a history of high blood pressure in your family, so that he can monitor you for it.
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There’s not much that you can do to avoid getting it but at least he’ll be on the lookout for it and if you do have high blood pressure he can start treatment right away.
Obesity
Being overweight is a major contributing factor to high blood pressure. It’s easy to say to lose weight, but if you are already overweight and have high blood pressure it’s important to stay away from fatty and fried foods, and to watch what you eat. Exercise is also important. There are plenty of things that you can do to exercise – it just doesn’t mean joining a gym. Do you like to swim? Join the YMCA. Do you like to shop? Go and walk in the mall each day.
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The nice thing about indoor exercise is that you can do it no matter what the weather is like. Buy yourself a stationary bike and ride it while you watch TV. You’ll forget you are even on it. Exercise doesn’t have to be a drag or a chore. Do what you can do to make it fun. That way you’ll look forward to exercising rather than thinking of it as something that you have to do.
Some of the symptoms of hypertension are:
- Feeling as if the world is spinning (vertigo)
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Having a hard time catching your breath after exercise
- Blurred vision
- Nosebleeds
- Having to urinate a lot, especially at night
- Ringing or buzzing in your ears
- Feeling tired, fatigue
- Flushed face
- A feeling like your heart is racing
Just because you have one or more of the above symptoms does not mean that you have high blood pressure. The symptoms above also apply to many other things, and only a doctor can truly diagnose you with high blood pressure. If you are concerned that you might have high blood pressure, make an appointment to see your doctor and have a physical exam. Tell him or her about your symptoms and your concerns. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure, it’s important to let them know how you are feeling. It may not be high blood pressure, it could be nothing, but it always warrants looking into.
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If you are at risk for high blood pressure due to family history, it’s always a good idea to take preventative measures. Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, exercise and try to deal with stressful situations in a calm cool manner.
