Tag: meditation

Benefits of Early Blood Pressure Monitoring

Did you know that your blood pressure increases as you age? By taking control of your blood pressure at an early age you can have the benefit of a longer healthy life. In this article you will find ways to monitor your blood pressure and the benefits that come with it.

If you are unable to have regular check ups at your doctor’s office, you can purchase a blood pressure monitoring device. If you have a history of having high blood pressure a monitor is a great way to keep an eye on it.

Since blood pressure increases with age it is best to start monitoring it as early as possible. Many young people do not worry about things like this, but if your family history involves high blood pressure, it is best to start now.

The first thing when monitoring your blood pressure is to know what makes it increase. The following are just a few things that can cause it to increase.

Smoking and Alcohol

Tobacco use and alcohol can drastically increase your blood pressure. The best way to prevent this is to sustain from using tobacco or drinking alcohol. If you do not desire to do this, you can try limiting your use of tobacco and alcohol consumption. If you have tried quitting either before there are many available resources to help aid you in completely quitting.

Overweight

Being overweight will also drastically increase your blood pressure. If you can try to lose at least ten pounds this will help significantly.

Physical Inactivity

Do you exercise regularly? If not, you might want to start doing so. Exercise can help lower your blood pressure. Try doing at least thirty minutes of physical activity every day. If you cannot set aside thirty minutes at one time, try doing ten minutes at a time. As long as you get thirty minutes a day you will see results.

Stress

Yes, stress can raise your blood pressure. If you find yourself stressed every day, consider doing something to help you relax and de-stress. Meditation or a similar relaxation technique will do wonders with dealing with stress.

Your Diet

If you have an unhealthy diet, this could be the cause of your blood pressure increase. Try to limit your salt intake and introduce more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Read nutrition labels and try to eat less fat, etc.

Sleeping Disorders

Sleeping disorders can raise your blood pressure because your breathing is interrupted while you’re sleeping. You can fix this by talking with your doctor about medication to help you sleep. There are many available medicines that have proven to be effective in helping sleeping disorders.

Over-the-counter drugs, substances and supplements

Some over the counter medicines and other supplements can trigger high blood pressure. Specifically antidepressants, cold medicines, oral contraceptives and nasal decongestants. If you are worried about a certain medication you are currently taking, consult your doctor. Ask any and all questions you may have concerning your blood pressure.

By watching all this you can stay away from the risks of high blood pressure including stroke and heart or kidney disease. It is never too late to start taking care of your health.

Are You at Risk for High Blood Pressure?

Do you know what the risks are of high blood pressure? How do you know if you are at risk? There are many different causes for high blood pressure. In this article you will find out if you are at risk and how you can help prevent and control your high blood pressure.

Your blood pressure is high if it is over 120/80, which is the normal level of blood pressure. There are many everyday lifestyle habits that raise your pressure that you might not be aware of. One of those is being overweight. If you are overweight you are at a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

Try to start a healthy diet or start exercising. Even losing a measly ten pounds can help you drastically and keep your blood pressure normal. Physical inactivity is also another lifestyle habit that causes many Americans to develop high blood pressure.

If you are not very physically active, consider starting to be. You can easily adapt exercise to your everyday routine; you just have to plan it out. Try to do at least thirty minutes of exercise a day. This will help lower or control your blood pressure.

Many people are not concerned with what they eat, yet they want to be healthy. These two do not go together. If you want to stay healthy, you have to watch what you eat. Having unhealthy eating habits can cause high blood pressure as well. Try to eat less salt or sodium and more vegetables and fruits.

Using tobacco products is a great risk for developing high blood pressure. Smoking is a very common habit among the world and many of these people might have high blood pressure and not even know it. There are many ways to help rid the habit of nicotine or use of any tobacco product.

Every one is stressed at some point during their lives. You might be stressed every day or just once in awhile. Whatever the case may be, you can still develop high blood pressure through stress. If you find yourself stressed more often than not, consider some relaxation techniques. Meditation is a great way to start. If this doesn’t work, consider something different.

Drinking alcohol also causes high blood pressure. Do you drink quite a bit? More than two drinks for a man and more than one for a woman can raise their blood pressure. If you drink more than this, consider cutting back. Once again, if you are addicted to drinking, or smoking, you can find many ways to help you quit.

These are very common lifestyle habits that cause high blood pressure. If you are at risk for high blood pressure or already have it, consider purchasing a home blood pressure monitoring device. This can help ensure that whatever habits you are changing or modifying are working.

Sometimes this change is not enough. You might have to use medication or incorporate medication with your exercise routine, etc. The best way to know this is to visit your doctor. Ask any and all questions you might be concerned about. They will happy to assist you in helping you have a healthier and active lifestyle.

Natural Therapy To Relieve Insomnia-Looking For Solutions

Not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep is incredibly frustrating. This can happen to all of us every now and then, but if it’s an ongoing problem, then it is classified as chronic insomnia. Looking for solutions to get decent rest is the goal of most people who suffer from the condition, but they don’t necessarily want to turn to drugs. That’s why natural therapy to relieve insomnia can be such a good option.

Meditation is a wonderful way to reduce insomnia. Practicing meditation or prayer during the day will help to remove stress, and will focus you on being calm. This will make it much easier for you to be in a good state of mind for falling asleep. You can also invest about 15 minutes of time meditating or praying before bedtime to achieve the same state of calmness.

Another natural therapy to relieve insomnia that a lot of people like to use is aromatherapy. Essential oils like lavender relax your mind and body and will assist in bringing about sleep. Using aromatherapy in combination with a warm bath will set the mood. You can also place a few drops of lavender oil on a cloth and put it under your pillow at night. You don’t want to use so much that the smell becomes overpowering, but rather just enough to calm you down.

What you eat and drink can have a major impact on your ability to fall asleep. Having a glass of warm milk before bed has been a home remedy for insomnia for ages. Of course you shouldn’t drink or eat dairy products if you’re lactose intolerant. Try to avoid eating a heavy meal before bedtime as your body will be working hard to digest it. Also, if there are certain foods that cause you trouble, you shouldn’t eat them. Having an alcoholic drink before bed may seem to help, but it really doesn’t. Alcohol affects your ability to stay sleeping, so do your best to not have a nightcap.

There is a natural chemical called melatonin which regulates how you sleep. Your body naturally produces it, but if it’s not producing enough you can find melatonin supplements. However, as it’s still a pill–even though it’s a natural one–you should consider it carefully before deciding to take it.

Most people would consider herbal remedies as a natural therapy to relieve insomnia, and valerian root is one that a lot of people use effectively. It seems to work by relaxing the nervous system and can produce a feeling of well-being. However, as it is an herbal supplement, you should check any medications you are on to see if they may react negatively with the valerian. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you aren’t 100% sure. Drinking cup of herbal or chamomile tea before bed can help to soothe you as well. Being in overall good health does a lot to relieve insomnia too. You may want to kick any bad habits you have, exercise regularly and eat healthy.

How To Relieve Insomnia-Tired Of Not Sleeping

It’s hard to imagine anything more irritating than lying in bed, looking straight up at the ceiling and wondering if you will ever get to sleep. We all have a night or two like that, but when it happens on a continual basis and starts to interfere with daily life, then it becomes a serious medical condition known as chronic insomnia. The question of how to relieve insomnia can be tricky to answer, but the following information can help you to finally have a good night’s sleep.

One thing that never seems to work is telling yourself “I have to get to sleep now!” All that will do is add more stress to the situation and will actually do more to keep you awake than it will to help you doze off. Let’s be realistic here, if you could force yourself to fall asleep in this way then insomnia wouldn’t be a problem.

We just mentioned stress can keep you awake, so it’s logical that removing stress from your life will help you get to sleep. The real secret is learning how to deal with stress during the day so you won’t have to deal with it when you would rather be sleeping.

Breathing exercises will calm you down and take your focus off of the things that are bothering you. Meditation is a wonderful way to de-stress. However, the best way to reduce stress in your life is to change your mindset. That doesn’t mean you should live in a fantasy world, but it does mean you should try to put things into a healthier perspective. Sure, there will always be things that get on your nerves, but don’t let them dominate your life, and do your best to face them head on or shrug them off.

While breathing exercises are one way of how to relieve insomnia, strenuous exercise too close to bedtime can cause insomnia. However, regular exercise at the right time of day will help you to fall asleep. An exercise program will get your body into shape, and that means all parts of it will function better. You can do light exercises such as a leisurely walk or soothing yoga a few hours before bed if you like.

The food you eat and when you eat it plays a major role in how well you sleep. Try to eat several smaller meals throughout the day, and don’t eat your heaviest meal last. Your body does a lot of work to digest your food, and you don’t want it to be in high gear as you’re trying to drift off to sleep. Also, don’t use alcohol to help you sleep. While it seems like it works, that’s only an illusion, and it may actually cause sleeplessness.

Having a regular bedtime will get your body in the habit of going into “sleep mode” at the same time. Give some thought to your bedroom and do whatever you can to make it a comfortable and relaxing environment. The question of how to relieve insomnia isn’t always the easiest one to answer, but you now have several things you can do to get a good night’s sleep.