We’ve all experienced anxiety from time to time. Our heart rate increases and we feel tense, on edge or even fearful. Many people are able to cope appropriately to reduce their anxiety. However, some people experience anxiety on a daily basis. This can have serious health consequences because anxiety can affect your blood pressure.
How Stress and Anxiety Can Build Over Time
Constant, chronic stress can lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Long-term stress may increase cortisol production, which can raise both your blood pressure and body weight, two factors that influence a person’s risk of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, chronic stress can also cause chronic anxiety and depression.
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety affects many of us. In fact, an estimated 31% of American adults will have an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, according to the National Institutes of Health. You may feel anxious when making a big decision, leading up to a deadline or even visiting your doctor if you are worried about a health condition. However, if feelings of anxiety are intense and linger, you may be one of 25 million Americans who live with an anxiety disorder.
Symptoms of anxiety can include restlessness, muscle tension, difficulty controlling feelings, irrational worries, trembling and shaking.
People who live with untreated anxiety may feel trapped, isolated or paralyzed with fear. Anxiety can limit your ability to interact with others, complete day-to-day tasks and face your fears.
Similarly, people with anxiety disorders are at an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Thankfully, with treatment, you can gain control of your anxiety. If you’re concerned about anxiety, talk with your primary care provider, who can recommend strategies that might include:
- Psychotherapy or talk therapy. Certain types of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy, can teach individuals how to change their thinking or identify unhelpful ways of thinking. A psychotherapist or licensed clinical social worker may guide patients through exposure therapy to face their fears.
- Certain medications include beta blockers, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. These treatments may help control anxiety and its related symptoms, but medications alone cannot cure anxiety-related disorders.
In addition to psychotherapy and medication, some people find relief from anxiety with lifestyle changes that include exercise. Even a short walk outside can give you a sense of control and a change of scenery. Exercise can improve your mood by releasing endorphins, distract you from concerns or worries, and reduce tension in your muscles. For some, exercise can work as well as medication to reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Exercise can also help your brain better cope with stress, which has the potential to improve your mental health.
Understanding High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is when blood pushes against the artery walls at a higher rate than normal. Long term, high blood pressure greatly increases the chance of experiencing a serious cardiac event, such as a heart attack and/or stroke. High blood pressure is one of the most common diseases worldwide and may affect as many as half of the adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unlike other chronic conditions, high blood pressure doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms or warning signs. High blood pressure can only be uncovered through a blood pressure measurement done at your doctor’s office, a clinic, pharmacy or at home. If you or a loved one are at risk for high blood pressure, learn how to do an at-home blood pressure check. Talk with your physician about how often and when to do these checks.
High Blood Pressure and Anxiety: How Are They Related?
When you experience anxiety, it can lead to brief periods of high blood pressure. Some studies show an overlap between people with anxiety and people who have high blood pressure. People with chronic anxiety may have an increased risk of high blood pressure when compared to people without anxiety, and people with high blood pressure have a higher risk of anxiety than people without high blood pressure.
It’s vital for people with high blood pressure to discuss stress and anxiety with their health care provider. While the association between anxiety and hypertension isn’t explicitly clear, both conditions have similar treatment approaches. In other words, taking steps to reduce high blood pressure can also help reduce anxiety.
Both high blood pressure and anxiety require regular follow-up and monitoring individually and under the care of your health care provider. Both high blood pressure and anxiety may be treated with medications appropriate for each condition.
Tackling Your Risk of Anxiety and High Blood Pressure
By proactively taking control of your blood pressure, you can lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. You may also be able to reduce your stress and treat anxiety in the following ways:
- Reduce stress. Does your day include time for self-care or doing something that is solely beneficial for you? Reducing stress can look different for everyone, but it may include spending time around people who love and support you, moving your body to improve your mood, reading or meditating.
- Address anxiety. If you live with anxious thoughts and feelings, find a psychologist or therapist to address stress, anxiety and depression. These specialists help an individual reframe their thoughts and help develop coping strategies to manage day-to-day life circumstances that cause anxiety or depression.
- Exercise. Engaging in physical activity can improve your mood, prevent weight gain, manage high blood pressure and more. Plan to exercise most days of the week for the most benefits. Exercise can be as simple as a daily 15- to 30-minute walk, following an at-home aerobics video, participating in an exercise or dance class, biking, jogging, or simple calisthenics. Still not sure how to fit it in? Consider multitasking—doing laundry, cleaning, gardening or raking—as your movement.
- Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk of heart attack and stroke and can raise your blood pressure.
- Sleep. Did you know sleep helps keep blood vessels healthy? Not getting enough sleep can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. A lack of sleep also can contribute to depression and feelings of frustration or stress.
- Eat a healthy diet. The foods we eat impact high blood pressure. Consider the DASH eating plan, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet includes choosing vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; low-fat dairy and lean poultry and fish; and limiting foods high in saturated fats, oils and sugar-sweetened beverages and foods.
If you live with stress and anxiety, talk with your primary care provider about the impact of anxiety on your overall health and high blood pressure.
More to Read
- How Exercise Can Boost Your Mood
- Expert Tips on How to Sleep Better
- Break the Cycle of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Managing Stress When You Have Heart Disease
Medically reviewed by Nika Bitsko, CRNP.
