Irregular Blood pressure is connected to many serious illnesses. It is either a symptom of something serious or a cause. That is why it is important to always monitor your blood pressure and make sure it is normal.
Here are some important facts about irregular blood pressure that you should know:
1. Other Medical Issues Could Cause Irregular Blood Pressure
Usually, regular blood pressure doesn’t just come on its own. What triggers it is some underlying medical issue that is probably yet to be diagnosed. And nine times out of ten, the medical issues are serious.
That is why medical doctors run tests on patients’ urine, and perform an electrocardiogram to inspect the heart and lungs. When they do this, they are searching for possible underlying causes of high blood pressure.
Possible causes of high blood pressure are serious illnesses like diabetes, sleep apnea, kidney disease, and high cholesterol. And when these people who already have hypertension stress their blood vessels, they increase their chances of getting all sorts of illnesses. These illnesses include heart attack or heart disease, kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease, and more.
Low pressure could happen when the heart isn’t pumping as hard as it should or the fluids in your body aren’t enough. Heart problems, blood loss, chronic infections could all lead to low blood pressure.
2. White Coat Hypertension Is Just As Serious As Any Other Kind Of Hypertension
Yes, there is something called white coat hypertension. It is when a patient suddenly develops high blood pressure when they are at the hospital. It is easy to water white coat hypertension down to mere nervousness.
A recent study has, however, proven otherwise. According to the study, people who suffer white coat hypertension have a higher chance of having a sustained high blood pressure than people who have normal blood pressure.
Usually, when you notice that your blood pressure spikes up at the hospital; or before or soon after a hospital visit, it is because you are having trouble managing your anxiety level.
3. Sleep Is Great For Keeping High Blood Pressure At Bay
Of all the hours spent sleeping, deep sleep only happens for about 90 minutes to two hours each night. Deep sleep is the term for when the body is at its most relaxed and form.
It is at this time that many people have lowered blood pressure, but not low enough to raise an alarm. A study recently discovered that men who rarely get enough deep sleep have a higher chance of developing high blood pressure than men who have a regular deep sleep.
Although conditions like age and sleep apnea can cut down the number of deep sleep you have, there are things you can do to ensure that you have more deep sleep, despite the conditions.
First, you have to dedicate up to 8 hours for sleep every night. You then have to stick to your stick schedule as much as possible so that your body understands that that time is for rest. Finally, get active during the day. It helps you sleep better at night.
4. Too Much Salt Could Cause High Blood Pressure
Let’s discuss a little about the simple science behind salt causing high blood pressure. Salt contains sodium, and when sodium gets too much in the body, it could cause your body to retain more water.
And when there is more than enough water in your body, it starts to exert pressure on your heart and blood vessels. This is where the high blood pressure sets in. Adults over 50 years are at this most risk of getting high blood pressure from too much salt intake.
For that reason, it is recommended that people with high blood pressure or who are at the risk of high blood pressure should take less than 1500 mg of sodium daily. Every other person should not take more than 2300 mg of sodium daily.
Sodium intake often comes in the form of canned, processed, and smoked foods. Limiting the intake of these foods could help to keep blood pressure from getting high.
You can replace these processed foods with their fresh counterparts instead. Also, potassium can help to cancel out the excess sodium in the body. So foods like sweet potatoes, low-fat milk, oranges, and bananas should also be included in your diet.
5. Manage Your Stress Levels. It Helps.
Although researchers are still looking for a sure direct link between stress and hypertension, these two conditions have been linked oftentimes. It is only wise to steer clear of stress until the researchers find something tangible.
When you are stressed, your body releases two hormones called adrenaline and cortisol. You may know them as the “fight or flight hormones”. When your body secretes these hormones your heart beats faster and your blood pressure makes a temporary spike.
As soon as you are no longer stressed, your blood pressure returns to normal. However, chronic stress could cause sustained high blood pressure.
The Bottomline
Learn to recognize the things that stress you out and avoid them if you can.