Mental exertion and BP

Q: With diligence, I’ve been able to bring my blood pressure into the normal range but it spikes when I mentally exert myself and the rise is usually accompanied by a headache. Yesterday when the headache began, the monitor read a systolic pressure of 154, whereas the previous reading had been 126. What can I do to prevent this rise in blood pressure?

A: Your blood pressure does not appear to be in good control. I am not quite sure what you mean by “mental exertion”. Normal problem solving should not result in high blood pressure and a headache. Talk to your doctor.