How To Use Mindfulness Meditation For High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure or hypertension is caused when the pressure exerted by blood against the walls of your arteries is higher than it should be. Over time this could cause damage to the arteries as well as put additional pressure on the heart. Finding ways to control blood pressure could not only keep the heart and circulatory system healthy, but also reduce the risk of conditions like stroke and heart attack. Read on to know how to use meditation to lower blood pressure.

What you should know:

• The Effect of Stress on High Blood Pressure
• How Mindfulness Meditation Can Help
• How to Meditate Mindfully

The Effect of Stress on High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure could have many causes including a high salt diet, lack of exercise, family history and more. Stress is also a cause of hypertension, but beyond that, it can aggravate the condition even when caused by something else. For example, if your hypertension is caused due to medication, this could cause your blood pressure to go even higher when you get stressed. For this reason, it is important to try and keep your stress under control, especially if you already have high blood pressure or are at a high risk of getting it.

How Mindfulness Meditation Can Help

Meditation to reduce blood pressure has been found to be effective. Mindfulness meditation is a meditation technique wherein, you need to focus on your physical and mental state in the present moment. This technique forces you to forget about the past and the future and places you in the moment when change is most possible, which is the present. Being in this position can give you a sense of control, which in turn has a calming effect. As the mind starts to feel calm, it can let go of the stress which changes the body chemistry. With the stress hormones lowered, blood pressure can also start to return to normal and be kept under control.

How to Meditate Mindfully 

Here’s what you need to do to use meditation for hypertension:

• Find a spot where you can sit comfortably and won’t be disturbed for some time.
• Close your eyes and focus on your breathing as you take a few deep breaths.
• With each exhale, relax the muscles in your body starting with your head and neck and going all the way down to your toes.
• Once you have attained this calm, relaxed state you can let your thoughts flow freely.
• Let each thought come, acknowledge it, and let it go.
• This is the part that takes practice, but learn to let each thought pass without judgement or reaction. Sometimes thoughts like paying bills or meeting work deadlines can cause you greater stress. Here is where you need to make an effort to let it go without reacting.
• Remain in the mindful state for 10-20 minutes before slowly bringing yourself back to your surroundings.

Learning to look at things that cause you stress from a calm point of view has shown to help find effective solutions and thereby removing the stressful situation. This is how meditation for high blood pressure is effective.

For more great tips and resources on how to live your healthiest life visit the Mindfulness and Nutrition sections of the Activ Living Blog.