As a much sought after cardiac surgeon, Dr Ramakanta Panda, chairman of the Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai, has his hands full.

“My days are filled with emergencies, long hours and emotionally charged decisions.

The operating theatre is not just physically demanding; it is mentally exhausting.

And yet, ours is a profession that demands good bedside manners toward patients,” he says.

A perfect cocktail of triggers that can result in hypertension.

Understanding the risks of hypertension that a surgeon has, Dr Panda makes conscious choices.

“Maintaining blood pressure is not about extremes but about disciplined moderation.

So, every professional, regardless of being a doctor, should develop a disciplined approach in their 30s.

That will surely hold good in their 50s,” he says.

No compromising on sleep, movement The biggest and most ignored cornerstone is sleep.

Despite unpredictable calls, Dr Panda says he has always prioritized deep sleep through Yoga Nidra whenever possible, keeping a consistent schedule.

“Sleep deprivation is independently associated with hypertension; blood pressure drops by 10-20% during sleep.

There are days when sleepless nights are unavoidable but you must compensate for them,” he says.

The second risk factor he addresses daily is sedentary behaviour.

“It’s important to be out and about.

Even today, I avoid prolonged sitting in hospital corridors by taking brief standing breaks.

I remember joining a short yoga session with colleagues in the hospital after a particularly long surgery.

Those 30 minutes of stretching and breathing felt as restorative as a full night’s sleep.

These small adjustments make a significant difference.” Start a regime early Like all young surgeons bent on developing their careers, Panda recalls his early days when surgeries would go on for 12 to 14 hours on a routine basis.

“My adrenaline kept me going.

But I realized quickly that stress was silently raising my blood pressure.

That’s when I began incorporating short bouts of activity.

Even ten minutes of brisk walking between cases or cycling to the hospital added up.

Science shows that accumulated activity provides comparable cardiovascular benefit to long-shift workers,” he says.

Changing gear at 40 When doctors or busy professionals enter their 40s and 50s, they experience metabolic changes.

“Insulin resistance, weight redistribution and sympathetic activation increase vulnerability to hypertension.

At this stage, it is useful to....