The Connection Between Stress and Hypertension

Think about this: almost half of Americans have high blood pressure, and only one-quarter have it under control. Numerous factors contribute to these alarming statistics, including stress, which has reached unprecedented levels due to current events.

At James Kim Cardiology, Dr. Kim and our team emphasize the importance of education in protecting your cardiovascular health. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with 200,000 of these deaths preventable.

To help you manage your health, we want to highlight the link between stress and hypertension and provide strategies to lower your blood pressure by reducing stress levels.

How Stress Affects Your Body

To understand the impact of stress on your body, let’s explore what happens during stressful situations. 

Stress triggers a fight-or-flight response, designed to protect you from danger. This response sets off a series of physiological reactions, starting with the release of stress hormones—cortisol and adrenaline.

These hormones cause several changes in your body, including:

• Blood vessel constriction
• Elevated heart rate
• Muscle tension
• Sweating
• Increased and shallower breathing
• Pupil dilation

These processes equip you with the necessary resources to take decisive action when faced with danger.

Stress and High Blood Pressure

The fight-or-flight response is meant to be temporary. Once the danger has passed, your stress hormones decrease, and your body returns to normal functioning.

However, during prolonged periods of stress, you can remain “stuck” in this response, causing situational hypertension to persist longer than is healthy for your cardiovascular system.

While medical researchers are still exploring the exact link between stress and chronic hypertension, the connection is evident.

Reducing Stress to Lower Blood Pressure

While there are many ways to lower your blood pressure through healthy lifestyle changes—such as quitting smoking, exercising more, and improving your diet—let’s focus on managing the stress aspect of hypertension.

One of the most effective ways to reduce stress is to get moving. There’s an old adage: “Move a muscle, change a thought.” If your mind is overwhelmed with stress, get up and exercise. Even a simple walk around the block can help relax both your body and mind.

Another effective strategy is to eliminate stress triggers, like constant news updates. In today’s world, bad news is abundant, so take breaks and turn off your electronics periodically. There’s often little you can do to change the news in that moment, so tuning it out can benefit your health.

Deep-breathing exercises are also excellent for reducing stress. Taking a moment to practice breathing in for four seconds and out for four seconds can help regulate your body’s physiological responses and create better balance.

The key is to use the fight-or-flight response wisely in times of danger but avoid staying in that state for too long.

To learn more about the connection between stress and hypertension and how to manage your cardiovascular health, contact one of our offices in National City or Chula Vista, California.