Smoking is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease and aggravates high blood pressure. You can quit permanently - once you have made a commitment to yourself. Ask your physician to help you with different methods to quit smoking. Stress may increase your heart rate and blood pressure and may contribute to the damage of artery walls. To manage the stressful situations in your life, you may try some of these common stress-reduction techniques.
Visualization is like a mental vacation.
First, find a quiet place with few distractions such as noise or bright lights. Sit comfortably and close your eyes and picture yourself in a relaxed setting. Muscle Relaxation is a good way to remove stress. Tighten, then relax, one group of muscles at a time, working up from your feet to our face. Deep Breathing can be done anywhere, anytime and can help to reduce stress.