You’ve probably heard people talk about how their blood pressure is through the roof when they’re stressed. But the connection between blood pressure and stress isn’t an old wives’ tale—it’s real.
“Your blood pressure is definitely impacted by how much stress you’re under,” says Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. The scary part: There are usually no signs or symptoms of high blood pressure, making it hard to know on your own if yours is elevated.
If you’re tracking your blood pressure with a home device or smartwatch, you’ll likely notice your readings are elevated when you’re stressed. But what’s behind this and, more importantly, how can you get it under control? Cardiologists explain.
Meet the experts: Jim Liu, M.D., a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA.
What happens to your blood pressure when you are stressed?
A few things happen in the body that impact your blood pressure when you’re stressed. “The body’s natural response to stress is an increase in heart rate and blood pressure,” says Jim Liu, M.D., a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
When you’re stressed, your body’s sympathetic nervous system—which controls involuntary movements—is activated, Dr. Liu explains. Your body also releases the stress hormone cortisol. “These are considered the body’s fight-or-flight response to stress,” he says. Cue the increase in blood pressure.
Even being stressed now can lead to high blood pressure down the road. Research published in the journal Hypertension analyzed the urine of 412 adults for stress hormones. The researchers discovered that those who had stress hormones in their urine were more likely to develop high blood pressure over the next six to seven years. Those that had high levels of cortisol in their urine had a 90% higher risk of developing a cardiovascular event within 11 years.
It’s important to point out that stress is listed by the American Heart Association (AHA) as a risk factor for high blood pressure. While stress alone can raise your blood pressure, it’s also linked to behaviors that can raise blood pressure more, like poor eating habits, being physically inactive, using tobacco, and drinking more alcohol than usual.
What happens if your stress is chronic?
When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol. These can constrict, or squeeze, blood vessels and raise your blood pressure, Dr. Chen says. “But longer-term, chronic stress will increase long-term inflammation in the body,” he says. “That also stiffens blood vessels, making it harder for them to relax.” Over time, your blood pressure will gradually creep up, he says.
That elevated blood pressure can impact many organs in your body. “If someone is under chronic stress and blood pressure is chronically elevated, the concern is that the high blood pressure will cause long-term damage to certain body organs, such as the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes,” Dr. Liu says.
Will stress reduction help?
Reducing any amount of stress in your life may help to lower your blood pressure, Dr. Chen says. But it can be difficult to eliminate all sources of stress, especially if you’re chronically frazzled, he points out.
Dr. Liu suggests leaning into stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and breathing control techniques. “They may not fix high blood pressure completely, but can help lower blood pressure some,” he says.
When to see a doctor about your blood pressure
It can be difficult to know if your blood pressure is high, unless you’re carefully tracking it at home on your own. In fact, blood pressure tends to cause no symptoms at all, earning it the nickname of the “silent killer.” That’s why regular physicals and check-ins with your healthcare provider are so important.
If you have a family history of high blood pressure, talk to your healthcare provider about your risk factors. They should be able to recommend personalized next steps from there.
Read the full article here