lower my blood pressure

I gave blood the other day and they always take your blood pressure before they let you give. My numbers were high. :( I know the biggest culprit is my sleep problem. I need to get that under control so the BP will follow suit. I should probably start tracking the BP at home again.

Well my numbers are better the last few days. I don’t really associate that with anything I’m doing. I feel like my body has some kind of rhythm that’s not entirely controllable by me. I want to work on the sleep and exercise in hopes that will help keep my BP down even in times of stress.

I’m starting to have a problem with this one again. I hear all the time that there are no outward symptoms when your BP is too high, but I can tell because I have palpitations in the early morning and I feel exhausted and easily out of breath at the end of the day. I took my reading this morning and sure enough, it’s gone back up.

I guess it’s time to start monitoring this again. I find the most accurate way to assess how I’m doing is to take my pressure every morning and night for a week and average the readings.

It would help if I could get more sleep and exercise and find ways to reduce my stress. We’re coming up on a difficult season for these things though.

They say most people don’t have symptoms with high blood pressure. But I can sure feel it when mine goes up. The feeling of anxiety, shallow breathing, not being able to relax no matter what breathing exercises I try, and a pressure or tightness in my chest and upper back.

I had a problem for a while 2 years ago, went on meds for 6 months and then lowered it back well within normal range and was able to go off the drugs. But now it’s back. Yesterday they wouldn’t let me give blood because my bottom number (the trouble one for me) was over 100.

When I lowered it naturally last time the two biggest factors were caffeine and sufficient sleep. I’ve been off caffeine totally for more than a month. Hmm, I guess I’d better add chocolate to that caffeine ban. Now I really need to work on going to bed and getting enough sleep regularly. The holiday season messed me all up and I need to get back to something closer than normal.

I really don’t want to go back on the meds if I can fix this naturally. Guess it’s time to get out the cuff and start monitoring twice a day again.