Blood pressure is created by our heart. When it pumps blood through our blood vessels, the blood creates pressure. Movement of the blood is the main reason behind high or low blood pressure. If our heart pumps faster our blood pressure will increase.
When our blood vessels are under too much pressure we become exposed to strokes and other cardiovascular problems. This is why it is important to know when we are exposed to the risk most, and what can we do to prevent that.
Blood pressure causes
Normal blood pressure rate is less than 120 and over 80. Based on this information you can already determine if you have a normal heart rate. Prehypertension is the first phase of hypertension or level 1 of high blood pressure. It varies between 120-139 and 80-89. If your blood pressure is higher, this means you have hypertension or high blood pressure.
Causes of this condition are many. Some of us have this condition by heritage, because it runs in our medical records. Other might establish this condition due to difficult and stressful situations and poor nutrition.
We live in a world full of unhealthy choices and many of us have them. People who are overweight and who smoke can be more prone to blood pressure than others. Other conditions such as kidney disease or thyroid disorder can be connected to hypertension.
When you are suffering from hypertension it is important to know the cause so you can act accordingly. When the cause is in your nutrition or in a certain condition it is easier to find a way to regulate your blood pressure.
Hypertension – daily pattern
Blood pressure levels can fluctuate during the day. This is something we can’t avoid. Certain conditions in our body can have their usual patterns. This means that depending on our energy level blood pressure can be lover or higher.
When we are asleep it is normal that our blood pressure is lower. We are not moving so our heart pumps blood much slower. This means our blood pressure levels are not high and our blood vessels are more relaxed.
So, blood pressure can change during the day without us making big changes in our activities. Intake of food and drinking coffee will raise our blood pressure which is, again, a normal thing since this can’t be avoided. If these fluctuations are more often and drastically high, then you should visit your doctor.
Normal vs. High blood pressure
As the day progresses, we can feel our blood pressure rising due to daily activities. People who have normal blood pressure don’t have big variations. This means that is you are healthy, daily activities (even working out) won’t raise your blood pressure significantly. Even if it gets higher, it will soon be back to normal.
On the other hand, people who suffer from hypertension might have harder time controlling their blood pressure levels. Fluctuations are extremely high in these cases and can occur more often. Their blood pressure is harder to control because their cardiovascular health is already damaged. This is why they need to use medications which lower their blood pressure by controlling heart blood pumping.
Healthy people don’t have same blood pressure patterns as the ones with hypertension, so you have to have that in mind. For some of us a small cup of coffee can be okay and for other life threatening.
Outside effects on blood pressure
Food, coffee or workouts are something we control. If we are overweight or if we consume too much caffeine, we can simply cut down on things that make us feel bad. But, when it comes to outside effects like stressful situations, there is not much we can do about it.
Some people are more sensitive and others are less. If you are already prone to hypertension, having a stressful job or problems might increase your risk significantly. People with hypertension should try to avoid stress as much as possible. This also goes for all of us, but sometimes we can’t avoid them.
High blood pressure can also be caused by anxiety. If you ever felt this way, you will know how much our heart gets upset and how our whole body feels. Enormous amount of stress we feel that moment can lead to severe blood vessels damage. If this condition is something you are suffering from for a long time, than you should definitely visit your doctor.
Other risk factors are irregular working hours. People who work in night shifts can disturb their body’s biorhythm. Time meant for sleeping will be spent working, and our heart might have a hard time getting used to this change. This can later lead to hypertension.
Conclusion
Blood pressure varies depending on our daily habits, our lifestyle choices and sometimes we can’t control the fluctuations. If we are already suffering from high blood pressure, this control will be harder to achieve. Hypertension is a condition that needs to be controlled by medications.
Also controlling blood pressure can be achieved through regular exercise, healthy eating habits and avoiding caffeine and alcohol. Avoiding stressful situations is also important.
Irregular blood pressure level fluctuations can be a good sign you have hypertension, so make sure to visit your doctor. Our health is something we need to take care of and sometimes signs that something is wrong can be in front of us the whole time.
