b'the highest blood pressure were more than nine times likelier to experience a stroke than smokers with the lowest blood pressure were. The lead author of this study, Koshi Nakamura, MD, PhD, said that smoking and hypertension have a synergistic effect, worsening the damage that each risk factor causes on its own.But kicking cigarettes to the curb can tip the odds in your favor. In fact, hypertensives who smoke one pack of cigarettes a day can quickly reduce the risk of all forms of cardiovascular disease by 35 to 40 percent by not smoking. Thats not to say quitting is easy. However, there are a variety of methods to help you. Keep experimenting until you find one that works for you. Sleep EasyWe are a nation that is sleep deprivedand its having a detrimental impact on our blood pressure. When we sleep, our blood pressure naturally dips. And this temporarily lessens the demands on the cardiovascular system as a whole. But routinely shortchanging the amount of sleep we get could lead to hypertension by maintaining an elevated blood pressure and heart rate, as well as elevated sympathetic nervous system activity and increased salt retention.Even if youre getting adequate shut-eye, findings out of Columbia University show that the quality of your sleep can affect your blood pressure and the health of your arteries. During the study of 323 women, those who suffered from poor sleep quality due to obstructive sleep apnea or frequent waking during the nighthad a marked increase in their systolic blood pressure and a slight uptick in their diastolic levels. Poor-quality sleep was also linked to inflammation of the lining in the participants arteries. In addition, when youre short on high-quality sleep, youre more likely to self-medicate with caffeine to stay awake and alert. Youre also more likely to skip the gym and make poor food choices that can impact your blood pressure and your overall health. Manage Stress LevelsRoutinely practicing relaxation techniques can help prevent the blood pressureelevating effects of chronic stress. Sometimes a simple attitude adjustment is all you need. For example, changing how you respond to upsetting situations by focusing on the positive instead of the negative can help keep stress in check. Maintaining a gratitude journal and practicing gratitude in the moment can also alter how you react to stress, both physically and mentally. One well-studied method of stress reduction is mindfulness meditation. Not only does this form of meditation dial down the bodys response to stress; its also been shown to reduce blood pressure. In one clinical trial involving 42 middle-aged adults with stage 1 hypertension, practicing mindfulness meditation for eight weeks substantially lowered blood pressure. Other research that pooled the results of 19 clinical trials found that mindfulness meditation resulted in an average 5.98 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure and a 2.8 mmHg drop in diastolic blood pressure.Other effective ways to put a check on stress include aromatherapy, breath work, massage, and yoga. Dabble with different methods of relaxation therapy until you find something that fits your lifestyle. Your mental well-being and your blood pressure will thank you.BLO OD PRESSURE HEALTH13'