High blood pressure is a major problem which affects approximately one in three people worldwide and is responsible for around a quarter of all deaths recorded.
For most people, a diagnosis of high blood pressure means a lifetime of medication, constant uncertainty and worry about their future.
But once your GP has your blood pressure is under control, there are plenty of things you can do to take control back and lower blood pressure naturally.
Today, we want to tell you about how the humble stress ball – that long ridiculed executive toy – could actually help lower blood pressure and save your life.
You see, a growing number of studies are showing that Isometric Resistance Exercise can be very effective at lowering high blood pressure.
Isometric resistance is a fancy way of covering exercises where you squeeze or grip something – such as a hand grip or stress ball.
More research is needed, but it looks like both isometric handgrip training and isometric leg training could result in larger reductions in Systolic Blood Pressure and a trend toward lower Diastolic Blood Pressure than aerobic exercise or weight training.
So, doing the exercise below twice a day for 6 weeks could have an even greater ability to lower blood pressure than a few sessions in the gym.
Here’s how to use a stress ball to lower blood pressure
- Get yourself a ‘stress ball’. This can be any small ball you can squeeze (a tennis ball is ideal), or you can get yourself some purpose designed therapy balls.
- Put the ball in one hand and hold a squeeze for 90 seconds.
- Now switch to the other hand and again, hold a squeeze for 90 seconds.
- Repeat this exercise three times for each hand.
Note that we say ‘hold a squeeze’. That’s because you want to squeeze once and hold that squeeze for the full 90 seconds. The aim is to apply consistent pressure and hold it.
You can also do this exercise with hand grips. If you do, make sure you adjust them so that you can hold the squeeze for the full 90 seconds without needing to let go.
Do this exercise twice a day for 6 weeks and see what a difference it makes. And if you feel you need a little extra help to take control of your blood pressure, our network of Certified Hypnotension Practitioners will be pleased to help.
