High blood pressure, stress and anxiety, bad sleeping patterns and irritable moods feed off each other and affect every aspect of your health and well-being.
If you can get a grip on these it can change your life.
There is a simple, safe and clinically proven way using slow breathing.
Have you ever tried to breathe more slowly? What's the fewest number of breaths that you can take in a minute? Can you feel your mind relaxing when you breathe deeper and slower? Listening to gentle flowing music helps.
Classical music is good, an adagio movement for instance.
1.
Get as comfortable and relaxed as you can while listening to some gentle music.
Choose your music carefully.
It needs to be something you like listening to.
Classical pieces with crescendos like the 1812 Overture are unlikely to lower your blood pressure! New Age or Ambient music can be good.
You may prefer choral music like Gregorian chants or Buddhist monks or an ocean wave track or anything relaxing with a slow and regular tempo.
You may find that headphones are helpful to cut out background distractions but they are not essential.
You need to stop as many distractions as possible, like the telephone for example.
2.
Become aware of your breathing by listening to yourself or feeling the air passing in and out of your nose.
The air will feel cooler entering your nostrils and warmer going out.
Also you can tell by resting both hands gently on your abdomen with your fingertips touching.
As you breathe in the fingertips part then touch again as you breath out.
Feel your breathing slowing and deepening but don't force it.
It is normal to have a short pause between breathing out and breathing in.
Gradually increase your exhalation so that it is about twice as long as your inhalation.
So breathe in for two seconds and out for 4 seconds.
Don't try to actually count or use a timer as the concentration will stop you from relaxing.
The rhythm of the music will naturally cause you to breathe smoothly and regularly.
So you need to choose an appropriate piece.
It may feel awkward to begin with but if you listen to the music more than you think about your breathing it will gradually happen.
Don't try to force it.
It's just a question of practice.
3.
When you are used to this level of breathing you can gradually slow your rate but don't go any further than you are comfortable with.
You only receive the benefit while you are relaxed so there is no point in forcing yourself.
The method has to be enjoyable for it to work.
Fifteen minutes a session is about right.
If you can do it everyday it's great, otherwise four or five times a week is fine.
Don't try to count the number of breathes per minute during the session.
After you have finished your breathing will remain slower until you get up and start moving around.
So you can check your breathing rate while you are still resting.
Six to seven breaths per minute is the level you should hope to achieve.
This may take several weeks but you will receive the benefit of lower blood pressure as you reach below ten breathes per minute.
When you have mastered the technique you will be able to get off any medication you have been using and be free of all unpleasant side effects.
You will be in control of your health.