Introduction Every living animal on the planet has blood pressure; there is
no exception to this rule. The blood flows through the body with
certain pressure, but if the pressure is higher than the normal
range then it is a disease, which is called High Blood Pressure
or sometimes the blood pressure drops below the normal range,
then it is called Low Blood Pressure.
For the blood to reach all parts of the body, it has certain
pressure. This pressure is created because of contraction of
heart. Sometimes for various reasons these blood pressure
increases, for example fearful situation, anger, anxiety,
excessive thinking, mental tensions or even for physical
exertion. During these situations the heart comes under extra
workload. But when the situation changes to normal than Blood
Pressure also comes to the normal. This temporary change in
Blood Pressure is not disease but when this Blood pressure
remains high always, it becomes a disease.
Blood Pressure is one among the various diseases that affect the
human body. The medical term for blood pressure is hypertension.
Blood pressure is characterized by abnormal pressure levels in
the arteries.
When the pressure is lower than the normal, it interferes with
the well being of a person. When the pressure increases, it
causes damage to the heart and sometimes proves fatal.
Measuring BP
The BP is not same everywhere; it is maximum close to heart from
where the blood comes out and lowest where blood comes in to the
heart. So always the BP is measured on the hands. There are 2
types of pressures, systolic and diastolic. Systolic Pressure is
higher and indicates the contraction of heart and diastolic is
when heart expands. The BP in healthy person is 120 mm / 80 mm,
that is systolic 120mm and diastolic is 80mm. If the BP is
greater or lesser by 15 mm to 20 mm than the normal range, it is
considered as disease.
Causes
There are various reasons for this high BP. Sometimes because of
improper functioning of kidneys, heart related problems or
diabetes BP can go high, so if these diseases are treated then
BP also comes to normal. But in 80 % of the cases there is no
apparent reason, then it is called "Essential Hypertension".
The reason for this High BP is cannot be found on physical plane
but can be traced to mental activities. High mental strain
results in high BP.
Hypertension is usually caused due to excess stress, strain, and
emotional disturbances. In some cases, arterial problems,
disturbed kidney function and malfunctioning of the endocrine
gland cause hypertension.
Sedentary lifestyles are the reason for high blood pressure.
Physical activity and ability to stay active helps to reduce the
risk of blood pressure. Physical activity makes the heart
stronger. Exercise helps to improve the condition of the heart,
by making it pump more blood efficiently.
Symptom
Hypertension has no specific symptom, it became known to be a
silent killer. If not detected at an early stage, it may lead to
arterial cardiac and renal damage. Nevertheless, hypertension
can be detected if people experience some mild and pounding
headache, giddiness, hazy vision, ringing in the ears, and
disturbed kidney functioning. If experienced continuously, it
may lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, or paralysis.
The usual symptoms of the disease are dizziness, sound in the
ears, headaches and dull vision.
Treatment
How Yoga Helps : Modern medical
science treats the BP but not the underlying reason that is
mental strain. When you take medicines, the BP comes to normal
for sometime but when the effect of the medicines is over, the
BP again rises. So the best remedy is to remove all underlying
reasons for mental stress and strain. Yoga certainly helps
achieve the stress free mind. There is no solution except
removing all the strains on mind and control the mental
activities. Yogasanas (Yoga Positions and Postures), Pranayama,
Meditation, Yoga Nidra definitely help achieve the mental peace.
High levels of stress is common cause of stress.It is purely a
mental condition. The most effective way to handle stress is to
change your mental attitude towards the problems that trouble
you. To initiate change in thought patterns requires mental
strength. This strength can be gained through pranayama. Yoga
helps to combats stress and saturates the mind with
tranquility.The Yoga asanas help in bringing about a balance in
the autonomous nervous system, a center that controls stress.
Yoga helps in regulating the blood pressure by stabilizing the
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
Hypertension affects the internal organs like heart, lungs,
liver and kidneys. Practice of asanas and pranayama helps to
reduce the damage caused by hypertension. During asana practice,
the movements are static; hence, it requires less blood and
oxygen to assume a posture. This poses less strain, keeping the
muscles relaxed. The circulation of blood is improved. Yoga
helps in oxygenating the blood, enabling fresh nutrients to all
the vessels and capillaries in the blood. When blood circulation
is improved, the brain absorbs more oxygen and this helps one to
be alert, enhances concentration skills and improves mood
swings. When stress is reduced, the body’s immune system gets a
boost, that also effectively enhances cognitive abilities.
Yogasana: Yoga Guru Patanjali has
defined Yoga as 'Steady and comfortable state of Body and Mind
means Asana'. || Sthirsukham Asanam ||
During any exercise the strain on muscles increases, the
requirement for blood and oxygen increases but in Yogasanas the
requirement goes down as there are no strains and every muscle
is relaxed, the requirement for blood and oxygen goes down. This
also reduces the strain on mind, the mind also becomes stable
and focused. Also because of twists and stretched postures, the
functioning of endocrine glands, digestive organs, heart and
other organs improves. To achieve this even simple Yogasanas are
helpful, one can easily practice these yogasanas and get the
best for himself.
Camel Pose - How to do it?
Sit on your heels.Inhale and bend the back to touch the ankles
with the hands. The back must be arched.Hold this position for
few breaths and exhale while coming back to the original
position.Relax.
Knees Squeeze - How to do it?
Lie on your back.Lift your right knee and bring it close to your
chest. Use your arms to support the knee against the chest.The
left leg should be kept straight.Bring the right knee to the
original position and relax.Repeat the same with the other leg.
Corpse Pose - How to do it?
Lie flat on your back.Close your eyes.Be aware of the body parts
and turn your attention to them. Relax the body parts at will
from toes to head.Relaxation has to be induced.Mind should be
made free from all disturbing thoughts. When the posture is
executed perfectly, peace and calmness saturates the being.
Pranayama: Pranayama is control of
breath, breathing & blood circulation system, heart have close
relation between them. Also these are dependant on mental
activities. If mental strain increases the breathing rate is
affected. In Pranayama the breathing is controlled and the rate
is reduced, which reduces the strain on heart in return reduce
heart rate. This increases the stability of mind and mental
activities are also controlled.
Even simple breathing exercises like Deep breathing, quiet
breathing help reduce the mental stresses and strains. Also the
Pranic force in the body is balanced with the regular practice
of Pranayama, which restores the physical and mental balance.
Some Pranayama techniques affect the functioning of nervous
system, which again help restore the balance.
Pranayama reduces the need of oxygen, so also the production of
carbon dioxide. So the respiration rate reduces. In various
Pranayama techniques ujjai Pranayama balances the Pranic flow of
energy in the body. Ujjayi also affects carotid sinus, which
help reduce BP. Nadi Sodhan Pranayama controls the Pranic flow.
But people suffering from BP should not practice Kumbhaka
(retention of breath) but only inhalation and
exhalation.Pranayama should be followed by meditation.
Alternet Nostril Breathing (Anulom Vilom):
This practice is also called alternate nostril breathing.
Practice of Anulom Vilom helps to calm the mind of its
disturbances and makes it conducive for meditation. Nadis are
the carriers of prana to the different parts of the body. There
are 72,000 nadis in the human body. This Pranayama cleanses
these channels and the body is energized with the flow of
pranayama.
How to do it? Sit in a comfortable
position and relax all the body parts. Close your eyes. Close
your left nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly. Exhale the
breath through the right nostril. This constitutes one part of
the breathing. Alternate the breath to the right nostril, i.e,
inhale through the right nostril by closing the left nostril.
Then, exhale through the left nostril.
Meditation
Meditation is practice of concentration. One should try to keep
mind focused on one point or object, this concentration of mind
has very effects on body and mind. Lot of research is going on
around the world about the meditation and its effects. Some of
the observed facts are listed below.
1. Balance is achieved in the functioning of nervous system.
2. Complete body is relaxed, which gives enough rest to the
muscles and various organs.
3. Concentration, grasping power, memory increases and so also
the will power.
4. One can handle stressful situations in efficient ways.
5. Balance is achieved in the functioning of Body Mind complex.
6. Brain functioning is improved. 7. Meditation helps to be in
touch with the inner self.
How to do it? Just close your eyes
and focus your attention on the point between the eyebrows. One
can chant 'Om' for a few minutes until a peaceful feeling
touches you. Fill the mind with faith in the divine that always
protects and directs your being.
There are other various techniques which can be practiced
regularly after learning from expert yogaguru.
YogaNidra:
Yoga Nidra is psychic sleep, this process is designed by
Paramhansa Swami Satyananda Saraswati of Bihar School of Yoga.
This process helps remove physical, emotional and mental strains
very easily and effectively. It also helps focus the mind and
removes negative elements. This YogaNidra is easy to practice
and given results in short time.
Yoga Nidra is a meditative yogic practice. It is a state on
borderline of sleep and wake fullness. Its nothing but Perfect
Relaxation. Yoga Nidra can be practiced individually or together
with any no of participants but in a room or closed hall. You
have to follow the instructions given under the sub heading
Prerequisites, Preparation and Preposition.
Prerequisite for Practicing
• You should have the following.
• Continuous & undisturbed time of 30 min.
• A separate calm and quiet room where nobody should disturb.
• Dim light (Bright light or Dark light should be avoided).
• A carpet of about 8' x 4' in size laid on ground level or bed.
Preparation
• Wear loose clothes, remove your wrist watch, belt, etc., and
just make yourself relaxed and at ease.
• There should be total silence, no disturbances in surrounding.
• Lie down on the levelled ground.
Instruction
Lie down on your back with hands by your side and your eyes
closed (as in picture). Now slowly move your awareness to your
left toe then upwards to your waist, relaxing completely, then
move your awareness from your right toe upto your waist relaxing
as before. Follow the same procedure from your left thumb up to
the left shoulder followed by relaxing your right hand thumb up
to the shoulder. Be aware of your torso and every part thereof
as completely relaxed, starting from the waist to the shoulders.
Move your awareness to the neck, the face, cheekbones, ears,
eyes, forehead and back of the head.
Feel a gentle wave of relaxation pass through your whole body.
Now slowly be aware of whitish blue rings moving from the head
towards your toe. Follow this movement of the rings 7 times.
Very gently be aware of your body sink into the earth as you
become light and float up from your body.
Some of you may go into a deep sleep in this state of
relaxation. However if you have to wake up immediately, bring
your awareness back to your left toe after a short while. Follow
the procedure of awareness returning to your body in the same
sequence as mentioned above for relaxing your body then develop
your awareness to the outer world. Slowly rub your palm
together. Place it on your eyes, gently rub
Every living animal on the planet has blood pressure; there is
no exception to this rule. The blood flows through the body with
certain pressure, but if the pressure is higher than the normal
range then it is a disease, which is called High Blood Pressure
or sometimes the blood pressure drops below the normal range,
then it is called Low Blood Pressure.
