The Diagnosis ➡️ High Blood Pressure (HBP)—A Spiritual & Physical Look At The Chronic Illness ➡️ Hypertension
- Natasha Baylor
- May 5
- 5 min read
Hey Sis! Thanks 🖤for visiting my blog! I really do appreciate the gift of your presence.🌹 I send you love and hope you’re able to take away something positive from your time here. ✨
The doctor speaks the words…you have high blood pressure (HBP). Maybe they give you some brochures for guidance. Maybe they tell you to go on a no-salt diet. Maybe they tell you to exercise. But they WILL definitely, in most cases that is, give you prescriptions to start a regimen of medications to help lower your blood pressure. Which I have no problem with.
But….
What about the part where they talk to you about the SPIRITUAL lifestyle changes that would also aid you in your care?
When I was diagnosed with HBP, I was ONLY given the prescription. That visit and ALL of them, subsequently, (for 20+ years) never entailed ANY communication about the spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects of living with hypertension. —> That’s a sucky realization to come to because I trusted my medical teams throughout the years to keep me informed about the best routes to take for the sake of my personal upkeep and maintenance. This is my health after all! 😤 But they are human. Right?! They are allowed to NOT be perfect, right?!
So this blog post is me adding my 2 cents to the narrative about HBP to enlighten those who seek increased knowledge on the subject and to hopefully make their journey a little easier. If that’s you…Welcome!
In this blog post, we will chat about:
The Spiritual Meaning of HBP
The Physical Definition of HBP
Nocturnal HBP
Spiritual Practices to Help Manage HBP
Physical Practices to Help Manage HBP
What is the Spiritual Meaning of HBP?
Often symbolizes:
Chronic, unresolved emotions (think trauma-related & inner-child emotions)
A need to manage overwhelming emotions (grief, sadness, anger)
Chronic feelings of overwhelm and overstimulation (increased adrenaline)
Chronic worry and anxiety (stress)
Inability to surrender control to a Higher Power or to the flow of life
A need to release high-pressure (perhaps career/work) or “fight or flight” mode (toxic relationships)
A need to shift toward a more peaceful and forgiving state of being through emotional balance
What is the Physical Definition of HBP?
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a chronic condition where the force of blood against artery walls is consistently too high, typically 130/80 mm Hg or higher. It is a "silent killer" that often causes no symptoms while damaging vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. It is managed via lifestyle changes and, if necessary, medication.
Blood pressure is recorded using two numbers (measured in millimeters of mercury, or mmHg):
Systolic (Top number): The force when the heart beats.
Diastolic (Bottom number): The force between beats.
According to the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, the categories are:
Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg.
Elevated: 120-129/<80 mm Hg.
Stage 1 Hypertension: 130-139 / 80-89 mm Hg.
Stage 2 Hypertension: 140/90 mm Hg or higher.
Hypertensive Crisis: Higher than 180/120 mm Hg (requires immediate medical attention).
Silent Symptoms: Many people have no symptoms until significant organ damage occurs.—> Consider purchasing a blood pressure monitor HERE to track your blood pressure regularly to hopefully avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Health Impact: Untreated hypertension may lead to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, edema (body swelling), and vision loss.
Risk Factors: Common causes include high levels of cortisol, unresolved emotions, unhealed trauma, unhealthy diets (high salt & processed foods), lack of physical activity, obesity, tobacco use, and family history.
What is Nocturnal HBP?
Nocturnal hypertension, or high blood pressure while sleeping, often occurs because the body fails to experience the natural 10–20% dip in blood pressure, known as "non-dipping". Major causes include sleep apnea, high salt intake, kidney disease, stress, and medications that disrupt sleep or raise pressure.
Key Reasons for High Nighttime Blood Pressure:
Sleep Apnea & Breathing Issues: Repeated breathing interruptions (apnea) cause oxygen levels to drop, activating the sympathetic nervous system and raising heart rate and blood pressure.
Non-Dipping Pattern: In a healthy state, blood pressure drops at night. Failure to do so (caused by stress, high salt diet, or kidney disease) results in sustained high blood pressure.
Lifestyle & Diet: High salt consumption (which increases fluid volume), lack of physical activity, and drinking alcohol can contribute to nighttime surges.
Chronic Conditions: Diabetes, kidney disease, and autonomic nervous system dysfunction can prevent blood pressure from lowering.
Sleep Disturbances: Insomnia, pain, or frequent waking to urinate prevents deep, restorative sleep (REM/deep sleep), which is necessary for lowering blood pressure.
Medication Timing: Medications taken in the morning may wear off by nighttime, or specific medications (e.g., cold medicine, certain antidepressants) may cause elevated pressure.
What are Some Spiritual Practices to Help Manage HBP?
Practice emotional intelligence (emotional understanding of yourself)
Make self-love your religion (LEARN MORE)
Doing your shadow work regularly
Energy healing through Chakra rituals
What are Some Physical Practices to Help Manage HBP?
Walking/exercising
Reduce sodium intake
Manage your stress by journaling daily—subject suggestions: grief, depression, anxiety, mental illness, anger, sadness, misery, etc. (write what you feel led to write)
Spending time outside (your inner child may love this activity!)
It is my theory that by adding in spiritual practices in conjunction with physical practices for HBP, we may be able to better manage this age-old chronic illness or maybe even get rid of it altogether. Who knows?! Where two or more agree…🙏🏾
I hope this information has blessed you, and I’ll see you on the next blog post!
Natasha 🧚🏾
💎BE you and DO what inspires YOU 💎
About the Author!
Natasha Baylor is a Stay-At-Home-Wife out of Georgia who is passionate about helping others develop a healthy relationship with themselves and break free from the limiting mental, emotional, and spiritual patterns that have plagued humanity for lifetimes.
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DISCLAIMERS
All rights reserved to Natasha Baylor. No part of this blog post may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, Natasha Baylor, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or for a social media post.
The contents of this blog post are that of my own personal thoughts, experiences, and research. I do not guarantee any results, nor do I accept any personal responsibility for how the contents of this blog post are perceived and/or utilized. My intentions are rooted in love, and I pray that this blog post serves ONLY your highest good.
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