Friday, May 17th is World Hypertension Day
Friday, May 17th is World Hypertension Day. This year’s theme is “Know Your Numbers”:
High blood pressure or hypertension is a 'silent killer' — it often has no warning signs or symptoms.
High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure.
Know your numbers — check your blood pressure regularly.
Take medicines as prescribed to prevent complications of high blood pressure.
One of the ways to help keep your blood pressure under control is to manage stress in a positive way. We at MEDUCOM have a variety of strategies to help manage stress. See below for some ideas to help make your days a little less stressful!
Get outside. Most people spend the day in the office, their homes, their car or the gym - all of which are indoors. Published studies have shown that being outside has vitalizing effects. Try stopping for a coffee or treat along the way.
Find time for exercise or sports. Exercise can help relieve tension and built up stress, as well as take your mind off matters for an hour or so.
Play, cuddle or go for walks/jogs with your dog. Plenty of research shows pets help relieve stress.
Spend time by bodies of water, whether it’s the ocean, lakes or rivers in your area. Research shows evidence that being around water is calming!
Schedule time for self-care - It’s important to schedule time to focus on yourself and what makes you happy as an individual. Suggestions can include hobbies (reading a book, listening to a podcast, cooking a new recipe, puzzles), be wellness focused (pampering, haircut, massage), or be reflective (meditation, counseling, journaling, colouring books).
Take time to recharge. Whether you recharge by socializing with friends, having alone time, through activity or through relaxation - find what works for you. Give yourself permission to “veg out” for an hour or two in the midst of busy weeks.
Talk about stressful situations with coworkers, friends or significant others.
Do something nice for someone else can help relieve stress by putting things into perspective and realizing there are more important things in life than whatever is stressful at that time.
Stay organized – prioritizing tasks helps allocate time to each task which can alleviate the stress of feeling like you have to do everything at once.
Eat a bowl of veggies in the morning to maintain good health.
Remember to breathe. In stressful situations, lots of people subconsciously hold their breath or take shallow breaths, resulting in less oxygen intake which only makes your body more stressed. Stop what you are doing, take a few full breathes, and then keep going.
Establish a sleep routine. Proper sleep contributes to everything from heart health to immune function to mental health. Getting enough sleep is a great way to manage stress and establishing a sleep routine helps to improve the quality of sleep you achieve. Try to get the recommended 7 hours per night.
