Psychological Factor-Stress

Among the risk factors for hypertension, stress, has drawn increasing attention.

Researchers reported at the XVth Scientific Meeting of the Inter-American Society of Hypertension, which was co-sponsored by the American Heart Association’s Council for High Blood Pressure Research, that depressed people with high blood pressure are less likely to have their blood pressure under control than those who are not depressed.
A pilot study (still in progress), concerning women with high blood pressure during their pregnancy (over 10% of women have high blood pressure during their pregnancy which may affect their health or that of their baby) is intended to determine how guided imagery (imagining relaxing scenes) affects blood pressure and anxiety, and to assess how satisfied women are with this technique.
A potential work stress-related risk factor for hypertension identified in the past few years is work hours. A study analysed work hours and self-reported hypertension among the working population in the state of California. Compared with those working between 11 and 39 hours per week, individuals working 40 hours per week were 14% more likely to report hypertension, those who worked between 41 and 50 hours per week were 17% more likely to report hypertension, and those who worked more than 51 hours per week were 29% more likely to report hypertension. This analysis provided evidence of a positive association between work hours and hypertension in the California working population.
In another study, adults who worked more than 40 or 50 hours a week — particularly clerical and unskilled workers — were more likely to have high blood pressure than were those who worked 40 hours or less a week. Researchers tied the higher risk for workers with longer hours to unhealthy eating, less exercise, more stress and …less sleep…
Notice that if you are middle aged and sleep five hours or less a night, you may be increasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to research reported in Hypertension.

Previous research indicates that simple relaxation methods can reduce blood pressure and anxiety levels. The conclusion is: reduce stress as much as possible, work less hours as possible, get plenty of sleep. Practice muscle relaxation and deep breathing.