It appears that mediation (specifically transcendental meditation, TM) has quite
a significant effect on blood pressure. You might want to check out this
article:
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/treating-hypertensio\
n-naturally
which is by a reputable professor, and refers to actual studies done.

I myself use a simpler form of meditation - imagining a quiet and dark image,
for example a mirror of a huge lake in the night, or a spinning black vinyl
sound plate. Any thoughts that are coming are detected as a spec of dust on
vinyl, so you can brush it away without confronting it, or extinguish it as a
candle that floats in a dish on a lake.

Eventually you can brush away even the thoughts about the thoughts
the only thing that remains is the still quiet dark image. Ideally it should
become completely black, which means eyes are fully relaxed. No new thoughts are
coming. This is the state where you can easily fall asleep if you like, our you
can just stay in it for a while to rest for 20 min similar as what they do in
TM.

I don't know if it has effect on blood pressure (never had a problem)
but it does help to sleep when some persistent thoughts keep repeating
themselves needlessly. Breaking this unprofitable repetition of thoughts that
don't converge to anything useful is the main trick
on eliminating stress, and meditation can definitely do it.

The actual thinking can be done later (maybe tomorrow morning), when brain is
more rested and some parts of it more relevant to the solution can get
activated, those breaking the cycle.

Regards,
Yevgen

--- In strelnikova_exercise@yahoogroups.com, mclaym1@... wrote:
>
> Yevgen,
>
> Great to hear from you!
>
> I did notice this effect on headaches as well. One time, I started to have
> a throbbing headache. My automatic response was to go for aspirin. I
> decided to try these exercises first. Surprisingly, the pain was gone within
the
> first few minutes...
>
> This time, unfortunately, I am battling a problem with a high blood
> pressure. My blood pressure did increase due to much recent stress that
"came"
> from a conflict in my family. It was always pretty high though. Every time, I
> do these exercises, I feel much better. Nevertheless, there is no
> significant improvement in my blood pressure readings. My doctor put me on
> Enalapril, which is effective. Due to its unpleasant side effects, I had to
> discontinue this medicine. Now, I am trying natural approaches, including the
> increase in number of times I do these exercises. I hope something will work.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Mark
>
>
> In a message dated 8/28/2009 7:58:15 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
> evgenij_b@... writes:
>
>
>
>
> As we have found, Strelnikova exercise tend to help against headaches.
> We had discussions of what could be the possible cause.
> Here is an interesting overview of causes of headaches
> and effects of different treatments.
>
> _http://www.physorg.http://www.physohttp:/_
> (http://www.physorg.com/news170684124.html)
>
> It points out that exercise can relieve the pain through
> 1) releasing endorphins
> 2) increasing oxygen level in blood
>
> Both of this mechanisms have no harmful side-effects, as opposite
> to traditional medications which as the article points out can
> cause "rebound" headaches through withdrawal mechanisms, if used
> repeatedly over long time periods.
>
> Regards,
> Yevgen
>