BP Basics

Blood pressure is just one of those things everyone is always worried about. Like cholesterol, a high blood pressure can lead to a lot of serious heart and circulatory issues, none of which are very fun. If you don’t have a normal blood pressure, like me, it is there for all the more reason to stay up late panicking, which in itself can really boost your blood pressure.

This little catch-22 is actually possible as anxiety and stress are two big reasons to not have a normal blood pressure. So if you don’t have a normal blood pressure, don’t freak out about it, as that’ll only make it worse. To try and keep a more normal blood pressure, it’s a good idea not to freak out about anything. Learn some good meditation techniques, put on some soothing music, take some deep breaths and relax! If you’re pounding caffeineated beverages all day and stressing out about one thing or another, it’s no surprise you don’t have a normal blood pressure.

So what is a normal blood pressure? From my understanding a blood pressure of 120 over 80 is widely considered the standard for normal blood pressure. Upwards to 140 over 90 is still considered normal blood pressure, but over that is definitely too high.

If you don’t have a normal blood pressure, there are things you can do to lower it. In addition to relaxing and reducing caffeine, like I discussed above, exercise and cutting down on salt intake will help a lot. Exercise more than anything is a great way to strengthen your heart, which will allow it to do its job without having to work so hard and raise your blood pressure. Just keeping a good diet and going for regular runs alone has worked wonders for me toward getting a normal blood pressure. When I cut back on caffeine, it dropped even more.

It has been a long an ardurous journey for me to realize a normal blood pressure, but I am finally getting close. It has been a lifelong goal of mine to be one of those rare select few with a normal blood pressure. To celebrate my almost normal blood pressure, I think I’m going to have a nice fatty steak with lots of salt on it, and spend the next few weeks sitting in front of the television and panicking about the impending doom we all face because of all the wars everywhere.