How to Lower Blood Pressure with Exercise

 Exercise is a way to lower high
blood pressure (hypertension) without medication. As we age, the risk of high
blood pressure increases, but exercise significantly reduces this risk. If your
blood pressure is already high, exercise will help control it. You don’t need
to run long distances or go to the gym; you can start with low-intensity
exercises.

How Does Exercise Lower Blood
Pressure? Regular physical exercise
strengthens the heart. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort.
If your heart works less, the pressure on your arteries decreases, and your
blood pressure lowers. Being more active can reduce your systolic blood
pressure (the upper reading) by an average of four to nine mm Hg, which is as
much as some blood pressure medications. For some people, exercise alone lowers
blood pressure enough that they don’t need medication.

If your blood pressure is already
normal, below 120/80 mm Hg, exercise can help prevent it from rising with age.
Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, which is another key factor
in controlling blood pressure. To keep your blood pressure low, you need to
exercise regularly. Exercise effects on blood pressure become noticeable after
one to three months of regular activity and continue as long as you keep exercising.

How Much Exercise Do You Need? Aerobic activity is an effective way to control high blood
pressure. Flexibility and strength exercises, like weight lifting, are also
important for overall fitness. You don’t need to spend hours at the gym; simply
include moderate-intensity physical activities in your daily routine. Any
physical activity that increases your heart and breathing rate is considered
aerobic activity, such as household chores like mowing the lawn, gardening,
mopping, vigorous sports like basketball or tennis, climbing stairs, walking,
jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing.

The Department of Health and Human
Services (USA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise
or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week, or a combination of both.
Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. If you
can’t find a long stretch of time, remember that even short sessions are
beneficial. You can achieve the same benefits by splitting your aerobic
activity into three 10-minute sessions.

If you sit for many hours a day, try
to reduce this time. Research shows that sitting or lying down too much can
cause health issues. Take five or 10-minute breaks every hour for light
activity, like getting up for a drink of water or walking a few steps.

Weight Lifting and High Blood
Pressure: Lifting weights can temporarily
increase blood pressure during exercise. This increase can be dramatic
depending on the weight lifted. However, most people experience long-term
benefits from weight lifting, including better heart health. The Department of
Health and Human Services suggests weight training for all major muscle groups
at least twice a week. If you have high blood pressure and want to include
weight lifting in your fitness program, remember to:

• Follow proper techniques to reduce injury risk.
• Avoid holding your breath while lifting weights, as it
  can dangerously increase blood pressure.
• Lift lighter weights with more repetitions instead of
  heavier weights.
• Stop the activity immediately if you experience
  shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pain.

When to Consult Your Doctor: Sometimes it’s best to consult a doctor before starting an
exercise program, especially if you are a man over 45 or a woman over 55. You
smoke or have quit smoking within the past six months. You are overweight or
obese. You have chronic health issues such as diabetes, heart, or lung
diseases. You have high cholesterol or high blood pressure. You have had a
heart attack. You have a family history of early heart disease. You experience
chest pain or discomfort during exercise. You feel dizzy or uncertain about
your health status, or you haven’t exercised regularly before. If you are on
medication, ask your doctor if exercise will affect its efficacy or cause side
effects.

Stay Safe: To reduce the risk of injury, start slowly. Warm up at the
beginning and cool down at the end of your exercise. Gradually increase the
intensity of your exercise. Stop exercising immediately and seek medical help
if you experience dangerous symptoms, including:

• Pain or discomfort in your chest, neck, jaw, or arms.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Shortness of breath.
• Irregular heartbeat.

Track Your Progress: The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to
measure and record it. Check your blood pressure during doctor visits or at
home using a blood pressure monitor. Monitoring your blood pressure at home can
help you track its reduction and may reduce the need for frequent doctor
visits. However, remember that home monitoring is not a substitute for
professional medical care. Home blood pressure monitors have their limitations.
The best time to take a reading at home is before exercising.