Can stress and anxiety cause high blood pressure? For a while a couple of months ago, my blood pressure was sky high. I blamed it on my anxiety because that was also extremely high. When I started the clonazepam, my blood pressure came down to normal.
So, I believe there is a correlation between the two. Upon starting the clonazepam, I started to relax and the headaches stopped.
Altogether, high blood pressure is called hypertension. Anxiety doesn’t cause long-term high blood pressure. But bouts of anxiety can trigger temporary rises in blood pressure.
Temporary rises in blood pressure that happen often, such as every day, can damage the blood vessels, heart and kidneys. Although, this is the same type of damage seen in people with long-term hypertension.
Signs and Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure Stages 1 and 2 All in all, consistent blood pressure readings of 130/80 mmHg or higher are classified as Hypertension Stage 1. Consistent readings of 140/90 mmHg or higher are classified as Hypertension Stage 2.
Overall, people with either stage of high blood pressure typically do not experience any symptoms
However, some people may experience symptoms indirectly related to high blood pressure. This means the symptoms are not caused by high blood pressure, but they typically present alongside the condition. These symptoms can include:
- Firstly, facial flushing, which is temporary redness that happens when the face’s blood vessels widen
- Blood spots in the eyes, also known as subconjunctival hemorrhage
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Lastly, symptoms of Severe Blood Pressure
Likewise, a sudden, severe spike in blood pressure, also known as hypertensive crisis, will show a blood pressure reading higher than 180/120 mm Hg.
Sign and symptoms of a hypertensive crisis may include:- Firstly, severe headache
- Feelings of anxiety or impending doom
- Nosebleeds
- Fourthly, difficulty breathing
- Chest or back pain
- Muscle weakness, numbness, or tremors
- In addition, visual problems
- Difficulty speaking
- Nausea and vomiting
- Lastly, Vertigo (sensation of spinning or dizziness)
Hypertensive crisis can lead to serious and potentially fatal health complications, such as kidney damage, stroke, and heart attack
Complications of Anxiety and High Blood Pressure
So, what do you think, can stress and anxiety cause high blood pressure? Unmanaged stress or anxiety can have a negative effect on your cognitive functioning, your immune system, gastrointestinal (GI) system, and your cardiovascular system. Therefore, unfortunately, some people use unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their chronic stress or anxiety and engage in the following behaviors:
- Firstly, smoking
- Poor sleep habits
- Avoiding exercise
- Fourthly, poor diet
- Drinking alcohol to excess
- Lastly, these can have a negative impact on overall health and well-being and can contribute to hypertension, poor heart health, and severe health complications.
When to See a Doctor
Hence, if you’re experiencing severe headaches, vision problems, chest pain, confusion shortness of breath, trouble concentrating, fatigue, changes in sleep or diet, or irritability, contact your doctor for a thorough assessment. All things considered, these could reflect anxiety or a cardiovascular condition such as high blood pressure.
Can Overthinking Cause High Blood Pressure?
Can stress and anxiety cause high blood pressure? Above all, I understand the impact overthinking can have on one life. It’s natural to question whether overthinking is always harmful. While some level of thinking things through can be productive, excessive overthinking can indeed be harmful.
Constantly thinking about past events or worrying about the future can make us more stressed, anxious, and even depressed. It can also make it hard to make decisions and enjoy the present moment.
So, while it’s good to think about the past and plan for the future sometimes, doing it too much can really hurt our mental health and how we feel overall.
Treatment of Anxiety and High Blood Pressure
At the same time, if you want to address your anxiety and blood pressure, some practitioners offer a treatment that involves biofeedback. This includes physiological monitoring of your bodily arousal is made observable to you.
So you can learn to be aware of physical changes that might occur with anxiety and elevated blood pressure.
Psychotherapy and certain medications are the mainstay of management for anxiety disorders. Also, high blood pressure medications may be required to manage high blood pressure.
In addition to biofeedback, other mind-body approaches such as mindfulness, yoga, breathing techniques and exercise may be a helpful adjunct for both anxiety and hypertension.
Stress Management Techniques
Exercise regularly: At length, this can be as simple as taking a walk, practicing yoga, or spending time in the gym.
Eat a healthy diet: Try to lower your intake of foods high in saturated fats and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily meals.
Get quality sleep: At any rate, if this means starting your night routine earlier or setting your phone outside of your room, make sure you get plenty of sleep.
Try deep breathing: Find a quiet place free of distractions, such as your bedroom, couch, or even outside.
Relax your muscles: Such as progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), an anxiety-reducing technique in which you alternate between tensing and releasing muscles throughout the body.
Practice mindfulness meditation: This can be used anywhere, at any time. Slow down your thoughts, calm your breath, and focus on your body in the present moment.
Visit a therapist: Furthermore, mental health professionals can help you develop coping strategies or recommend a more comprehensive treatment plan.
Reactions to Stress can Affect Blood Pressure
What do you think, can stress and anxiety cause high blood pressure? There’s no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure. But reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Behaviors linked to higher blood pressure include:
- Firstly, drinking too much alcohol or caffeine.
- Eating unhealthy foods.
- Eating too much.
- Lastly, not moving enough.
Heart disease also might be linked to certain health conditions related to stress, such as:
- Anxiety.
- Depression.
- Lastly, Being cut off from friends and family.
There’s no proof that these conditions are directly linked to high blood pressure. But the hormones the body makes when under emotional stress might damage arteries. Therefore, the artery damage might lead to heart disease.
Also, symptoms of depression and anxiety might cause some people to forget to take medicines to control high blood pressure or other heart conditions.
Stress can cause a steep rise in blood pressure. But when stress goes away, blood pressure returns to what it was before the stress.
However, short spikes in blood pressure can cause heart attacks or strokes and may also damage blood vessels, the heart and the kidneys over time. The damage is like the damage from long-term high blood pressure.
Living With High BP
How do I take care of myself?To take care of yourself, you can:
- Firstly, follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for taking your blood pressure medicine.
- If you need help paying for medicines, get help so you don’t miss doses.
- If you need help remembering to take your pills, get a pill organizer and set alarms.
- Lastly, if you’re having trouble with side effects from your medicine, ask your provider to prescribe a different medicine.
When should I see my healthcare provider?Contact your provider right away if:
- Firstly, you have a blood pressure of 180/120 or higher.
- It doesn’t get better after waiting five minutes and checking it again.
- You have symptoms of a hypertensive crisis.
- When should I go to the ER?
Call your local emergency number if you have:
- Firstly, a blood pressure of 180/120 or higher.
- Chest pain.
- additionally, shortness of breath.
- Numbness.
- Vision changes.
- Lastly, trouble talking.
Blood Pressure and the Heart-Head Connection
Can stress and anxiety cause high blood pressure? Hence, being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease can also take an emotional toll, affecting your outlook and making you more susceptible to anxiety and depression. Also, just as blood pressure may have an impact your mood, the reverse can also be true:
- Firstly, Stress can increase the body’s production of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol which in turn raises blood pressure.
- Self-medicating your mood with alcohol, nicotine, junk food, or recreational drugs can also elevate your blood pressure.
- In addition, even isolating yourself from family and friends—a common symptom of depression and anxiety—can push your blood pressure higher and damage your cardiovascular health.
- Lastly, high blood pressure and common mental health problems can often be attributed, at least in part, to the same unhealthy lifestyle factors, such as overwhelming stress, poor diet, and a lack of exercise. Changing your lifestyle to address high blood pressure can help to improve your mental health—and vice versa.
Conclusion
So what do you think, can stress and anxiety cause high blood pressure? Coupled with my experience with both of them, I say yes even though some people might think I’m wrong.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure or an anxiety disorder, look for ways to better manage the stress in your life. Even so, this may require adjustments to your behavior, lifestyle, or work/life obligations. Do what you can to minimize stress and anxiety.
Stress is inevitable, but it shouldn’t be a part of your every day. By the same token, if you have hypertension or if you’re feeling stressed on a regular basis, it’s time to slow down. Then evaluate your behaviors, habits, and stressors, and make some necessary changes so you can better care for your overall health and well-being.
Articles About Anxiety and High Blood Pressure
-7 ways to reduce stress and keep blood pressure down
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/7-ways-to-reduce-stress-and-keep-blood-pressure-down
-12 Surprising Things That Can Raise Your Blood Pressure
-The Link Between Stress and High Blood Pressure
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/hypertension/stress-cause-high-blood-pressure
Have a Good One,
Cindee Murphy, One Voice In The Vastness Of Emotions
“Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”— Arthur Somers Roche
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References
https://www.health.com/high-blood-pressure-symptoms-7197857
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