A million Zoom meetings. Your never-ending to-do list. The daily news. Your workload at home and on the job. Sometimes, we’re so used to stress that we forget what peace feels like.

Then there’s the unrest over social injustices facing the Black community and the impact of COVID-19 on those you love, or caring for children and parents, while working full-time.

With all that’s going on, self-care is really self-defense. It’s how we can stand up to stress.

Whether it’s a car speeding through a red light, caring for a sick loved one, or stirring in worry about what’s on the news, stress and blood pressure go hand-in-hand.

Stress has been linked to a number of negative health consequences. High stress can lead to behaviors like overeating and smoking, which can eventually lead to high blood pressure or other forms of heart disease.

Also, when you are going through a stressful event, your body releases stress hormones into your bloodstream that can increase your blood pressure. The increase is only temporary — your blood pressure will return to normal once the stressful event is over. However, even temporary spikes can damage your heart and blood vessels.

Stress-reducing habits like getting enough physical activity each day have to become as important as handling our business at work or in the home. Putting a pause on any unnecessary stress is a must for your heart and mind.

Between the naysaying voice in your head and daily assaults Black women face for just being black and female, it’s easy to talk ourselves out of taking these steps to reduce stress and protect our hearts. But here’s a way to combat those doubts: