Trying to think of non-pharmaceutical ways to manage your blood pressure?
Try Meditation and deep breathing exercises.
Only 10-20minutes daily can help you learn to lower your stress response and support a reduction in blood pressure. Yes, 10 to 20minutes a day can seem like a long time and a challenge to carve out during your busy day. However, you can start off by aiming to meditate or practice deep breathing for 2-5 minutes done throughout the day. As you practice throughout the day, pay attention to when you are best able to complete the practice and when you feel the best after. Learn from your practice and determine when and where you benefit the most from meditation, deep breathing or both.
To get started, and when short on time, start by thinking of the phrase “let go”. Think or softly speak “let” as you inhale and “go” as you exhale. This gives you a simple task to focus on as you slow down your breathing and begin to de-stress. This slowing down of your breathing enables your body to lower your blood pressure as you relax. This is also a quick way to pause and gather your thoughts when in a stressful situation at work or in your personal life before you react in an unfavourable manner. Give it a try right now!
Some individuals feel like having a particular location, scent, music, type of lighting, or even seat can help them build a routine that easily allows them to return to a relaxed mindset when meditating. This may not be ideal for you, but don’t be afraid to have some fun trying different ways to help you learn to practice relaxation techniques. If you enjoy exercise as a means to relax, add a mantra to meditate as you go for a walk.
A simple deep breathing exercise you can perform when you go for a walk or are sitting quietly is counting to four as you inhale, hold your breath for a count of four and then exhale to a count of four. You can even visualize your breath entering your body, filling your lungs and then leaving your body to support your focus.
If you have any suggestions or ideas that others can benefit from trying, please share!
Yours in health,
Dr. Shruti Sharma
