New Delhi, January 11 (IANS). In today’s fast-paced life, mobile phones, work pressure, study worries and constant running around have spoiled our daily routine to such an extent that its direct impact is visible on our health.
One of these is high blood pressure, which people often associate with age, but now this problem is increasing rapidly in youth and younger people too. Blood pressure does not increase suddenly, rather small daily bad habits gradually create such an environment inside the body, due to which this disease gradually starts growing.
First of all, if we talk about sleep, sleep is no less than a medicine for the body. When we sleep less than seven hours daily, the body does not get complete rest. Especially when sleep reduces to five to six hours or even less, the body goes into a state of stress. During sleep, our blood pressure automatically comes down, which gives rest to the heart and brain. But if you do not get enough sleep, you cannot get this natural rest. The result is that the stress hormone called cortisol increases in the body, which constricts the nerves. When the veins shrink, more pressure has to be applied for the blood to flow and from here the blood pressure starts increasing.
Mental stress also plays a big role in increasing blood pressure. When a person is under anxiety, fear or pressure for a long time, the body is always in alert mode. In this condition, the sympathetic nervous system remains continuously active, which speeds up the heartbeat and hardens the blood vessels. When this happens daily, the body starts considering this condition as normal and gradually it turns into high blood pressure.
Eating late at night has also become a common but dangerous habit. When we eat heavy or high-calorie food at night, the body’s circadian rhythm gets disturbed. Due to this, the kidneys are not able to maintain the balance of salt and water properly. Along with this, the effect of insulin also starts decreasing. The result is that excess sodium starts accumulating in the body, which increases blood volume and puts pressure on the veins. This pressure takes the blood pressure up.
Caffeine also affects blood pressure. Immediately after consuming caffeine, the veins constrict and the heart starts beating faster, which can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure. If caffeine is taken late in the evening or at night, sleep is disturbed. Due to poor sleep, stress hormones increase and blood pressure cannot be controlled. Constantly depending on caffeine does not allow the body to reach a state of rest.
–IANS
PK/AS
