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Managing Stress
Stress does not directly cause high blood pressure. But when life gets stressful, people react in different ways. Some may eat too much or eat unhealthy foods. Others may smoke, drink alcohol, or lose sleep. These habits can lead to high blood pressure.
You may not be able to avoid stress in your life. But you can control how you react to it. Taking it step by step, you can help lower stress. Your big benefit: lowering stress may help lower blood pressure.
Print this Stress Management Work Sheet to help you better understand the stress in your life and ways to manage it.
Tips for reducing stress
- Take time to relax. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly. Relaxing for short periods during the day may help lower your blood pressure
- Activities such as walking, swimming, or riding a bike can help you let go of the tension in your body. Check with your doctor to make sure it’s okay for you to do these activities. Learn more about being active
- Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises
- Get a massage, or take up yoga, tai chi, or meditation
- Try to solve problems under your control. But learn to accept things you cannot change
- Give yourself enough time to get things done. Don’t push yourself to do too much at one time
Keep taking your Benicar or Benicar HCT
Reducing stress and making lifestyle changes can help lower high blood pressure. Taking Benicar or Benicar HCT as your doctor prescribes can also help.
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