Under pressure
Some of our body’s responses still suit the way humans lived hundreds of thousands of years ago. We developed a fight-or-flight response that lead to hormones being poured into our blood stream to either fight off threats or escape from them. So, it’s a perfectly natural response to have adrenalin coursing through our systems, and we may experience it as a thumping heart rate, a cold sweat, shaking hands and a dry mouth.
Although these reactions helped us to survive years ago, these days we probably don’t need to be so primed for threats, but our bodies still react in the same way to stresses in our daily lives. Over time this can lead to stress, which is a term used when our wellbeing is unbalanced because our body activates this flight-or-fight response. We could get physical problems, like insomnia and a weakened immune system, as well as mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Up and up
Our blood pressure usually starts to rise once adrenalin hits our bloodstream, but sometimes it stays up, leading to hypertension. Some clinicians call this a ‘silent killer’ because we may not even know we have this condition. Hypertension has been linked to all kinds of health problems, such as kidney problems and strokes. What can make it more complicated is that if we feel stressed we may then act in a way that causes our blood pressure to rise even further – such as binge drinking or eating salty comfort foods that are linked with hypertension.
To prevent our wellbeing spiralling out-of-control in this way, we can get regular blood pressure checks at our GPs. This let’s us know if we’re in danger of high blood pressure, and we can also start dealing with the stress itself. Regular exercise, and having some downtime, such as through doing meditation or yoga can all help to control hypertension. Combining these changes with healthy eating and good nutrition can also tackle stress so we feel generally happier and more relaxed.