A new study found that divorce is linked to high blood pressure and bad relationships are often synonymous with heart attacks, strokes and kidney damage, reports the Daily Mail. The research focussed on 138 people who were newly divorced and separated and found that many of them had trouble sleeping. Those who had trouble sleeping saw their blood pressure increase a few months later. Conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona, the subjects' blood pressure was measured thrice over seven and a half months.
Kendra Krietsch, the study's project manager, said: 'If somebody is going through a divorce and unable to sleep, they really need to get some help or it could lead to problems. We are all going to go through something stressful in our lives, whether it's a divorce or something else. This shows how important it is for all of us to value sleep and take care of ourselves.'
Another of the report's authors, David Sbarra, added: 'What we found was if you're having sleep problems up to about 10 weeks after your separation, they don't appear to be associated with your future increase in blood pressure.
The results will be reported in the journal Health Psychology.
What are home remedies to tackle high blood pressure?
Several herbs have been used in traditional medicine to treat high blood pressure and here we present a few such remedies.
Garlic
Garlic has been found useful in patients whose blood pressure is mildly elevated. It is believed that allicin in garlic increases the production of nitric oxide and this helps to relax the muscles of the arteries, reducing both the diastolic as well as the systolic blood pressure. To get the entire benefits of garlic, it is recommended that you peel and lightly crush the fresh garlic and consume it raw. However, garlic also has the property of thinning blood and this means the clotting ability of blood is reduced; so it is best to use garlic supplements only after you consult your doctor.
Karpuravalli
Coleus forskohlii is the Karpuravalli plant that is grown in many home gardens in South India. In research studies, it has been found to relax the smooth muscles of the arteries and this helps to lower blood pressure. It is also said to make the heartbeat stronger and slow down the pulse. Certain studies have evaluated the action of Karpuravalli tablets and chewable pills and found it helps reduce blood pressure in the elderly.
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