WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
High blood Pressure is when the arteries carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body with a higher pressure than normal. This condition also refer as “Hypertension”, and according to the medical standards, a normal blood pressure would be at a reading of 120/80, and the high blood pressure will be 140/90, and sometimes much more higher. The higher the blood pressure, the higher the risk of having diabetes and certain kidney diseases.

THE CAUSES
Remember that the basic cause of high blood pressure is a stressful and sedentary lifestyle, family history, obesity, lack of regular exercise, and unhealthy eating habits.

THE SIGN

• Unfortunately the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure stay unnoticed in most cases. However certain experiences like shortness of breath, headache, blurred vision and dizziness may indicate a rise in blood pressure. Some symptoms of anxiety shared the same with high blodd pressure.


• Some other risk factors for high blood pressure leading to hypertension are excessive intake of sodium in diet, aging, diabetes, certain kidney diseases and atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries).


• Stressful pregnancy may lead to high blood pressure, try to relax.


• High BP can also give rise to severe complications like stroke and heart attack (because of weakened blood vessels, causing aneurysm). Hypertension may also lead to loss of vision and disturbed metabolic syndrome.


• Kidney will not function properly if the blood vessels is weakening or damage by high blood pressure.

TYPES OF RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
Relaxation techniques are used by doctors and psychotherapists to reduce blood pressure, however, you can check yourself and prevent the blood pressure from rising using the same relaxation techniques. When you relax and focus on part of your body, calm your mind with relaxed muscles towards your whole body, your blood pressure will certainly goes down dramatically.

Some of the most commonly used relaxation techniques to reduce blood pressure:

• Music Therapy
• Exercise or Physical Activity
• Taiji
• Relaxation Hypnosis
• Massage Acupuncture
• Meditation

Let’s look at some of the less common but very effective relaxation methods, use and practice these methods regularly to increase the effect. Although these techniques are not as common, but they are very useful against high blood pressure with more practice.

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Begin with your toes, make fist with the toes and tense for 5 seconds, then open and relax your toe muscles for 30 seconds, next, move your focus to the legs, asses, tummy, arms, neck, head. Repeat the process few times from toe to head and from head to toe until you feel all of the muscles in your body are relaxed. Remember to deep breathing during the exercise.


• Visual Relaxation- This amazing relaxation technique to reduce blood pressure teaches you to visualize mental images of a peaceful and calm situation or place. Try to exercise as many of your senses as you can- sounds, sights, textures and smells. The best way to do this would be to sit at a quiet and calm place, wearing loose cotton clothing. You should be able to close your eyes and focus on the peaceful visions for optimum effect.


• Autogenic Relax Technique. Autogenic relaxation is a way of combining yoga and meditation with progressive relaxation techniques. Practitioner will sit on a meditation posture and start to relax the body part by part from toe to head or head to toe. Before starting, the practitioner will imagine the relaxing and clam environment, using all sense to create a picture, smell, sound and any kind of relaxation elements. Next, the practitioner will use hypnotic self help wording, such as “feeling the arms relax and warm”, read it repeating in the mind and activate the sense and feelings of relax and warm to the arm. Do the same to each part of the body, and repeat them until you feel extreme relaxing.

OVERVIEW
You need to control the high blood pressure problems, and avoid damaging the arteries that will lead to heart attack and stroke. Practice relaxation techniques will reduce the blood pressure, which is critical in maintaining a healthy mind and body.

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