Risk Factors for Hypertension - Wholistics Health

Picture this: you’re sitting in your favorite café, enjoying a leisurely afternoon with friends, when suddenly you feel a pounding in your chest that just won’t quit. Or maybe it’s during a routine check-up that your doctor mentions those three dreaded words: high blood pressure. Hypertension, as it’s formally known, is a silent, sneaky intruder that can affect anyone, regardless of age or lifestyle. But how does one even develop this condition, and what can we do about it? Read on for more on what it is, why you get it and tips for managing it.

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is the medical name for high blood pressure. This refers to a condition in which the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls ends up being too high. This causes the heart to work harder to pump blood.

Typically, your blood generates pressure by pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to the rest of the body. This pressure, also known as blood pressure (BP) rises and falls throughout the day.

BP is typically recorded as two numbers such as 120/80. The first number (numerator) represents the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps out blood during each beat. It is referred to as the systolic BP.

The second number (denominator) represents the pressure of the heart awaiting the next beat. In other words, it represents the pressure when the heart is relaxed. This pressure is known as diastolic BP. Both units of pressure are measured in units known as millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Now your BP can fall into one of five categories:

Normal BP – A normal BP reading typically falls below 120 for the systolic measurement and below 80 for the diastolic measurement.

Elevated BP – When the systolic BP ranges from 120 to 129 mmHg, and the diastolic remains under 80 mmHg, it is categorized as elevated BP.

Stage 1 Hypertension – If the systolic reading falls between 130 and 139 mmHg, or the diastolic reading falls between 80 and 89 mmHg, it indicates stage 1 hypertension.

Stage 2 Hypertension – Stage 2 hypertension is diagnosed when the systolic BP is 140 mmHg or higher, or the diastolic BP is 90 mmHg or higher.

Hypertensive crisis – Lastly, a hypertensive crisis occurs when the systolic BP exceeds 180 mmHg and/or the diastolic BP surpasses 120 mmHg.

Now, you may be wondering what are the consequences of hypertension. Unfortunately, consistent strain on the heart can lead to cardiovascular diseases like coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is a condition in which the coronary arteries get narrowed and or blocked. This disrupts the supply of oxygen-rich blood to heart muscle causing heart muscle to die. Another common consequence of hypertension is arrhythmias. This refers to abnormal heart rhythms which can cause palpitations, fainting or sudden cardiac arrest.

Fortunately, there exist ways for you to manage hypertension. You can adjust your diet to incorporate some hypertension killer ingredients. Want to know what these are? Check out our blogs: 7 Hypertension Fighters in Your Kitchen and More Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure.

Now that we have covered what hypertension is, a few of its consequences and some ways by which it can be circumvented, let us look at the reasons why one experiences hypertension or high BP.

Reasons why one gets hypertension

Stress – Stress is a significant contributor to hypertension. When you experience stress, your body enters into a state of fight-or-flight, where it prepares to confront or escape from the stressor. In response, your body releases a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline prompts your heart to beat faster, leading to an increase in blood pressure. This elevated heart rate ensures that your muscles receive ample blood flow, providing the energy needed to respond to the stressor. Meanwhile, cortisol raises your blood sugar levels, boosting your energy reserves, and maintains an elevated heart rate to facilitate the delivery of this additional energy.

Therefore, both adrenaline and cortisol play a role in accelerating your heart rate, ultimately contributing to elevated blood pressure during periods of stress.

Given stress’s role in causing hypertension, it’s important to engage in activities that help you de-stress and give your body a break from running away from a tiger. Try incorporating a daily nature walk, meditating and listening to calming music and binaural beats to bring those stress levels down. (I love this one.)

And remember this:

“One way to get high blood pressure is to go mountain climbing over molehills.”
Earl Wilson

Inadequate sleep – Sleep plays a crucial role in regulating hormones like cortisol. When individuals are consistently deprived of sleep, the nervous system struggles to maintain proper hormone balance, potentially leading to elevated blood pressure. Recent research conducted at the University of Arizona revealed that even short periods of poor sleep can result in sudden spikes in BP. The study involved 300 participants without known heart conditions who were monitored overnight. It found a direct association between insufficient sleep and increased BP spikes during the night thereby underscoring the significance of sleep for maintaining heart health.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to ensure that you get adequate sleep – check out our blog for tips on how to create your Sleep Sanctuary – which include: keeping your room cool and very dark, avoiding caffeine after 2pm, and wearing blue light glasses in the evenings if you are reading or doing screen time.

Diet – Another culprit behind hypertension is a high salt diet. Such a diet can disrupt the natural sodium balance in your body, resulting in fluid retention. This can increase the pressure exerted by the blood against blood vessel walls resulting in high BP. To keep your sodium levels in balance, try to avoid consuming high salt food items like breads, deli meats and canned foods.

Similar to a diet high in salt, a diet abundant in sugar can also contribute to hypertension. When you consume a lot of sugar, your body releases insulin to help move glucose from your bloodstream into cells for energy. However, with consistent high sugar intake, your cells can become resistant to insulin’s effects. This insulin resistance can result in increased narrowing of blood vessels, leading to higher BP. So it’s important to manage your blood sugar to avoid insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. To find out more, check out our article: 3 simple hacks for managing your blood sugar.

Conclusion

In conclusion, hypertension is a prevalent condition with serious health implications. Understanding its causes, including stress, poor sleep, and dietary factors like excessive salt and sugar intake, is crucial for managing it effectively.

Fortunately, lifestyle changes such as stress management techniques, prioritizing quality sleep, and adopting a balanced diet can stave off hypertension and keep your heart pumping well.

And as always, talk to your healthcare professional for guidance prior to embarking on any new strategies for managing your condition.