Take care of your heart. cc by Skyler817

Since we have become more connected and thus more available, our lives have become even more complicated. We not only have to deal with our immediate needs as grocery shopping, cleaning and the works, but we have the added urgency of replying to texts, e-mails right there and then. If you are like myself, if I don’t reply immediately I might forget and the e-mails or texts will end up buried and hidden in the inbox.

So, this is how we roll now. We run from one thing to another in a state of constant anxiety, which inevitably affects our health. As for mine, the angst has raised my normally low blood pressure. Since I don’t want to have to take pills to lower it or at least postpone the maybe inevitable, I’m on a mission to slowdown and take the reigns of my health and take care of my heart.

If you want to do the same, maybe my plan may work for you too:

• Exercise everyday.
• Postpone reading and answering non-urgent e-mails till the end of the day when I can do so more relaxed.
• Plan my week ahead and make sure I don’t leave anything for the last-minute because everything left hanging makes me obsess on it till it’s done.
• Breathe. Often, I catch myself holding my breath and forget to breathe in a timely fashion.
• Read something that transports me elsewhere, away from my everyday turmoil.
• Make time to catch up with friends and avoid talking about work.
• Take time to do nothing! Yes, nothings! Sit outside and relax. Listening to birds chirping if you are so lucky and you don’t live on a busy street.
• Spend time doing something creative, focusing on what I’m doing. Drawing, gardening, painting will lower blood pressure. Great substitute for those like myself who can’t sit still and meditate.
• Indulge in fun activities.
• And my best weapon against angst: laughing!

What other tips aside from meds do you use to keep your heart healthy?