{"id":1894,"date":"2021-09-19T14:00:17","date_gmt":"2021-09-19T20:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/?p=1894"},"modified":"2021-10-17T07:45:29","modified_gmt":"2021-10-17T13:45:29","slug":"chronic-stress-can-lead-to-higher-blood-pressure-heres-how-to-reduce-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/?p=1894","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Stress Can Lead to Higher Blood Pressure: Here"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Chronic Stress Can Lead to Higher Blood Pressure: Here\u2019s How to Reduce It<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Claremont\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tResearchers report that chronic stress can increase your risk for heart health issues, such as high blood pressure.

\nExperts say there are many ways to reduce stress and anxiety, including going to therapy sessions, meeting with friends, and xercising.

\nThey add that it\u2019s best to try to deal with one source of stress at a time.<\/b>

\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tIs stress relief even realistic right now?
\nThe obvious answer is to reduce stress, right?
\nWell, yes and no, according to the experts.<\/b>
\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\u201cOf course, we know all those stock, physically oriented methods of reducing stress management, like breathing techniques, minding your eating habits, getting plenty of sleep, and exercising,\u201d said Therese Rosenblatt, PhD, the author of \u201cHow Are You: Connection in a Virtual Age \u2013 A Therapist, a Pandemic, and Stories about Coping with Life.\u201d

<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of these practices are helpful, but when you are in the grip of that extreme, gnawing anxiety that makes life miserable, it can be hard to even initiate those behaviors,\u201d she explained to Healthline.

<\/p>\n

According to Akua K. Boateng, PhD, a licensed psychotherapist, stress reduction is all about minimizing your body\u2019s need to manage stressors beyond its capacity.

<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be stressors in the world, yet when we talk about stress reduction, it comes down to attempting to not personalize all of the stressors at the same time,\u201d Boateng told Healthline.

<\/p>\n

The bottom line is to take the stressors in doses and know when you need to sideline processing others, she said.

<\/p>\n

Boateng\u2019s tips for managing stress: <\/b>

<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Create boundaries for stress intake.<\/b> If you have more psychological stress happening due to work, the COVID-19 pandemic, or holiday gatherings, minimize the need to have the house perfectly cleaned, getting all your work done on time, or remodeling your home during this time. <\/li>\n
  • \nSet up supportive spaces preemptively. <\/b>Things, such as therapy, a weekly friend check-in, and journaling, allow you to regulate and mentally \u201cde-steam\u201d the energy held in a stressful issue. Give yourself these spaces regularly to avoid mental backup. <\/li>\n
  • \nDeal with one stressor at a time.<\/b> When you try to handle multiple stressors all at once, it begins to wear on the body. Sometimes, this is inevitable. Other times, it is not. When possible, process one issue and then take time to recover before talking about the next thing. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n



    Don\u2019t demand stress reduction<\/b>

    \u201cNothing manages stress better than actively doing something about it,\u201d Rosenblatt said.

    <\/p>\n

    However, experts warn that, at a certain point, trying to reduce stress can become counterproductive.

    <\/p>\n

    \u201cStress reduction should relieve the energy within the body, not add to it,\u201d Boateng said. \u201cThere are times when a small addition of stress can be beneficial (i.e., talking in therapy) but overall you should feel better afterward.\u201d

    <\/p>\n

    Boateng\u2019s signs that stress relief is doing more harm than good:<\/b>

    <\/p>\n

      \n
    • Stress reduction becomes a task with rigid guidelines. <\/li>\n
    • \nThere are checkpoints of your progress. <\/li>\n
    • \nYou engage in self-blame or guilt.<\/li><\/ul>

      \u201cYou can\u2019t just will away stress and anxiety,\u201d Rosenblatt said.<\/b>

      <\/p>\n

      \u201cRemember that it comes from somewhere. That somewhere may be an external threat, like COVID-19, in which case at least a good deal of that stress is absolutely real,\u201d she added.

      <\/p>\n

      In dealing with stress, Rosenblatt said it\u2019s best to stay flexible, due to the current climate.

      <\/p>\n

      \u201cDecisions we make today, including our personal, social, and work habits, may have to change tomorrow,\u201d she said. \u201cWe must accept what we cannot control and direct our energies toward the things we can control. If we assume the mindset that even the near future is unpredictable, we will be better prepared.\u201d

      <\/p>\n

      \u201cOr it may come from some internal, more personal or idiosyncratic source, in which case the stress is real to you, and you still have to deal with it,\u201d Rosenblatt noted. \u201cUnderstanding this enemy is way more effective than fighting it.\u201d

      <\/p>\n

      \u201cRemember that our minds and bodies were designed to give us stress signals when we need to pay attention to a real or perceived threat,\u201d she advised. \u201cYou may find that, once you accept that you are stressed and you try to identify what exactly it is about it that is getting to you, you will be able to make a plan, either to take action or simply to go easy on yourself.\u201d


      Contributor: Healthline.com<\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Chronic Stress Can Lead to Higher Blood Pressure: Here<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1894"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1897,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1894\/revisions\/1897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}