Hypertension accounts for 6% of adult deaths worldwide and is found in all human populations, except for a minority of individuals living in isolated societies. In developed countries, the prevalence of hypertension rises with age and affects 25–30% of the entire adult population, reaching up to 60–70% of individuals beyond the seventh decade. Elevations of systemic blood pressure play an important role in the pathogenesis of stroke, heart disease, and end-stage renal disease. Evidence increasingly suggests that control of hypertension can prevent stroke, retard the development and progression of renal failure, reduce left ventricular hypertrophy, and possibly modify the consequences of coronary artery disease. hypertension is a sustained level of BP above which treatment is more beneficial than harmful
As per yogic view the mind is the most important component in the etiology of hypertension. The causes of hypertension may be
Through experiences & deeper understanding of the whole human organism, we see that the mind plays an important role in the function of body & can cause diseases such as hypertension. Recent researches point to the significance of mental tension & personality factors. The body is directly influenced by the mind. If a positive attitude as well as strength & health of mind are maintained, then the body is well nourished & flourishes. If there are mental problems, stress & tension, the balance is disturbed & illnesses such as hypertension appears as sign that something is not functioning properly.
Mind is the basis because it controls our personalities, emotions, lifestyles & habits. Aspects of lifestyle such as smoking, high-fat diet, heredity & aging all come under the influence of the mind as it is the more subtle and powerful aspect of our body. There is no doubt that personality plays an important role in the development of certain types of diseases. Any situation can produce stress even if it is designed to be relaxation, like playing golf or going swimming. It all depends on our personal view of the situation.
Today’s lifestyle is not based on scientific principles & this is reflected in the increased amount of sports, television watching, cinema & newspaper. Today’s lifestyle is not in harmony with the world around us & therefore destiny we rip causes suffering. Diet & sleep are not scheduled to harmonies with the light & dark cycles of the day, seasons, temperature, climate & so on. The average modern diet & sleep patterns are unhealthy in quality & quantity. Too much sleep leaves us still feeling tired & unable to get out of bed in the morning while too much food makes us feel heavy & full. All these predispose to ill health & high blood pressure over a period of time.
Yoga aims to remove hypertension & its potential lethal effects through a system of asanas, pranayam & meditation along with a complete reappraisal of lifestyle. In this way we remove mental disease that often leads to physical disease. Yoga helps us to cure from hypertension by offering the following practices
Today’s lifestyle is not based on scientific principles & this is reflected in the increased amount of sports, television watching, cinema & newspaper. Today’s lifestyle is not in harmony with the world around us & therefore destiny we rip causes suffering. Diet & sleep are not scheduled to harmonies with the light & dark cycles of the day, seasons, temperature, climate & so on. The average modern diet & sleep patterns are unhealthy in quality & quantity. Too much sleep leaves us still feeling tired & unable to get out of bed in the morning while too much food makes us feel heavy & full. All these predispose to ill health & high blood pressure over a period of time.
These practices help us to cultivate a positive attitude towards life & ourselves. By removing mental problems we remove the causative factors that have lead to hypertension. The following points can help in the process of relaxation.
Asans means a steady & comfortable posture. These are physical postures both static and dynamic which are designed to relax and strengthen the body and mind. Asanas when practiced correctly in conjunction with mental concentration and breathe awareness they will allow us to achieve a state of integration or homeostasis. On the other hand the wrong kind of exercise such as muscle building can cause or aggravate hypertension. These asanas are to be practiced in morning and before dinner at night for 5-10 minutes. Asanas stretches the muscle like a good massage and Pranayam performed in the morning and before sleep transforms day and night and improve the quality of both, our activity and our rest.
The following practices should be thoroughly understood before going to be performed
havasana literally means ‘Corpse Pose’ or ‘Dead Man’s Pose’. It is a posture of complete relaxation. While this asana is frequently assumed at the end of a yoga practice session, we can also use it to rest between yoga poses. We should try shavasana for ourselves to see how it can help to calm our minds and reduce tension and anxiety. The Sanskrit word shava means corpse hence this is the Corpse. The Shavasana is also known as the mritaasana.
The Sanskrit word vajra means thunderbolt or diamond.
Lotus Pose is an intermediate to advanced seated pose that provides a deep stretch for our hips. This pose can also help to open our hips and improve our seated posture. We can use this pose for breathing exercises or meditation.
The Sanskrit word pavana means air or wind and mukta means freedom or release, therefore this is the “wind relieving posture” so named because it assists in releasing trapped digestive gas from the stomach and intestines.
Pranayama means ‘control (or extension) of the breath’. Practitioners of yoga believe that it is essential to learn to control the breath in order to still the mind. Consequently, detailed practices have been developed to enhance the flow of breath, or vital life force. These practices include various ways of inhaling, retaining, and expelling the breath.
Pranayama is sometimes described as the science of breath or extension of the breath. Pranayama is a highly evolved system of practices that can enable men to gain control over the breath. Pranayama is considered an invaluable practice because of the vital role that prana (‘air’, ‘breath’, or ‘vital life-force energy’) is believed to play in a man’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. According to the tradition of yoga, prana is more than just air: It is the vital life energy that animates the being of not only every man, but also the entire world. When trying to calm an anxious friend, we intuitively suggest: “Take a deep breath.” Yogis have studied the power of the breath for millennia. They have discovered that by controlling the breath, we can control the mind.
One of the most common techniques taught in pranayama is three part yogic breathing. This technique brings one’s awareness to the breath in such a way that the duration of each inhalation and exhalation is lengthened. One does this by mindfully inhaling air in three steps: first, into the belly; next, into the mid-chest; and finally, all the way up to the shoulders and collarbones. Once the inhalation is complete, the breath is exhaled in three parts: first, from the top of the chest; second, from the mid-chest; and finally, from the abdomen. This cycle of breathing is repeated a number of times to provide increased oxygenation to the body, as well as to relax and restore.
Yoga nidra, which literally means ‘yoga sleep’. Yoga nidra is more commonly known as “Deep Relaxation,” or when performed at the end of a yoga session, “Final Relaxation.” This deeply calming experience can help us to integrate the benefits achieved during our yoga session, as well as let go of any areas where we may still be holding tension—whether that tension be physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual. Nearly every yoga class concludes with a period of deep relaxation. Many yoga teachers believe that this is the most important part of a yoga practice. It provides the opportunity not only to integrate the benefits of our yoga session, but also to tune in to ourselves—a priceless benefit for the typical man suffering from the pressures of time constraints and societal demands.
There are many powerful ways of preparing for Deep Relaxation. We should try concluding our yoga practice session with this progressive relaxation exercise. While Deep Relaxation is frequently performed at the end of a yoga session, we can perform yoga nidra any time we are in need of relaxation, independent of practicing other yoga poses. Assuming yoga nidra when we come home from work can be deeply restorative.
Meditation now forms an integral part of many well-recognized medical programs. Meditation helps us to enter the alpha state of brain wave activity, which is associated with relaxation and the reduction of stress. This, in turn, can help reduce blood pressure, heart rate and speed of breathing as well as promote healing.
The words ‘meditation’ and ‘medicine’ are both derived from the same Latin root word. Western medical research is only now validating what practitioners of yoga have known for thousands of years: Meditation can be good medicine—a powerful tool for healing body, minds, and spirit.
Continue breathing in this manner for several minutes. Let the focus of your awareness be the breath. If your attention becomes distracted by other thoughts, just gently dismiss them and bring your awareness back to the breath. After a few minutes, slowly bring your awareness back to your body. Feel the energy flowing to your fingers and toes. With your eyes still closed, gently stretch your fingers and toes. Rub your hands together and cup the palms lightly over your eyes. Feel the warmth of your hands restoring and energizing you. When you are ready, slowly open your eyes. Keep your hands cupped over your eyes for a moment while you adjust to the light, and then slowly release your hands. Take a moment to notice any changes in how you feel or how you perceive your surroundings.
This basic meditation can help to make us feel more relaxed and centered. It can give us renewed energy and help us to think more clearly. It can be used to start our day, as a stress-buster during a busy day of work, or as a way of clearing mental debris at the end of a workday. The greatest benefits of meditation will come with regular practice. Through meditation, the mind can become more centered and clear. This provides an ideal opportunity for us to access your deepest, inherent wisdom.
We should try meditating early in the morning if we can, after we’ve gotten up and done our morning ritual and before starting the workday. As we progress, we might also add a 15-minute period of meditation at the end of the workday to clear our mind of the clutter of thoughts and feelings that have accumulated during the morning and afternoon, and so restore ourselves as we prepare for our evening activities.