In this high paced world we live in, it is easy to get caught up in our work and have our stress levels rise without any relief. Stressful office environments such as stockbrokers, business advisers, web designers – and for that matter, many other business situations where workers are often racing the clock in order to fulfill a client’s needs – can lead to stress overloads and high blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure you need to see a doctor. Having a quiet place outside to relax in will help to bring it down. Outdoor furniture placed under a shady tree is an ideal place to do this.

Blood pressure is one of those hidden things that either keeps us healthy – or not. When it is too high it can cause health problems such as stroke, that can have dire consequences. The trouble is that it can be too high without you ever knowing. By the time there are symptoms such as blurry eyesight, it can be at a dangerous level. In fact, many people die of a heart attack or stroke brought on by high blood pressure that they were not even aware of.

When you are under bad stress a lot of the time, it is likely to make your blood pressure soar without you even knowing. That is why health care professionals usually take their patients’ blood pressure as soon as they sit down. The trouble is that if you don’t feel ill, you are not likely to visit the doctor.

How to take care of yourself

Taking good care of yourself and making sure you get enough down-time and relaxation is an important way to stay healthy and reduce your blood pressure. Strangely enough, not all homes are set up to provide the comfort and relaxation the occupants need. Chairs and sofas are not always comfortable to sit on for any length of time. There may be a lot of noise if the only place to relax includes a television or is where the kids play.

Look around your home and see if there is a quiet room you can convert to a small haven – a place where you can go for some proper relaxation. A comfy chair in the corner of the bedroom is better than nothing.

Getting the right furniture to create your haven is essential. It is fun to set up one or more places in your home where you can –

  • Just sit and sip your drink
  • Meditate
  • Read a favourite book or
  • Listen to some quiet, soothing music


But you also have to arrange your life so that you do actually use this space for relaxation.

That means taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and relax. Evenings are not always the best time for this if you have a family, because they all want your attention, there are meals to prepare, homework to supervise and baths to be undertaken. So set apart some time during the day while the baby is napping.

Another way to reduce your blood pressure is to stop listening to the news on TV for at least a week. The world won’t fall apart because you don’t know about the latest atrocity or car accident.