Findings from a new study suggest that adding short bursts of exercise into your daily routine could help lower blood pressure.
Published in the journal Circulation, and led by University College London and the University of Sydney, the research looked at data for 14,761 people who wore activity trackers for 24 hours to explore the relationship between daily movement and blood pressure.
Researchers found that an extra five minutes of exercise that raises the heart rate, such as stair climbing, running or cycling – in exchange for any of the other behaviours – could lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 0.68 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 0.54mmHg2.
But how does exercise help with blood pressure, and what types of activity should we be implementing into our daily routines to lower it?
How does exercise help lower your blood pressure and keep your heart healthy?
“Exercise can strengthen your heart, improve circulation, reduce stress which can impact our blood pressure, and lower cholesterol,” says Penny Weston, fitness, wellness and nutrition expert. “This all allows your heart to pump more blood around your body with less effort, which then reduces the force on your arteries, therefore lowering your blood pressure.”
Dr Katy Kasraie, GP, adds: “Exercise also helps with weight, stress, and sleep, all of which contribute to a healthier heart.”
What are some signs of high blood pressure?
“Blood pressure typically doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms until it reaches dangerously high levels or triggers a medical emergency,” emphasises Dr Kasraie. “This is why hypertension (high blood pressure) is often referred to as a ‘silent killer’ because it can be asymptomatic for a long time.
“However, extremely high blood pressure (hypertensive crisis) may lead to symptoms such as severe headaches, vision problems, chest pain, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, nosebleeds, severe anxiety and/or confusion or changes in mental state.”
High blood pressure becomes more common with age.
“By age 60, nearly two-thirds of people experience it,” says Dr Kasraie. “Though younger people can have high blood pressure, risks increase significantly after 50 due to ageing blood vessels and lifestyle factors.”
What complications can high blood pressure lead to?
“Hypertension is a serious health concern because if it remains undetected it can lead to serious health risks such as cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, damage to the blood vessels in the eye leading to vision problems, damage to the renal arteries leading to kidney disease and eventually failure,” warns Dr Kasraie.
Here are five short-burst exercises that could help lower your blood pressure
1. Chair exercises
Get your heart rate up by doing some simple but effective chair exercises.
“Chair exercises such as leg raises and arm circles can provide low-impact activities that can improve your circulation and cardiovascular health,” says Abbie Watkins, personal trainer at OriGym.
2. Light strength training
“Using light weights or resistance bands can help support better blood flow and heart health,” explains Dr Kasraie.
Grab a resistance band and do some squats in the kitchen with it.
“Squats with bands involve standing on the band and squatting while holding the ends, which helps strengthen the legs, glutes, and core,” explains Rowan Clift, training specialist at AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics.
3. Stretching and balance
“Gentle stretches and balance work like standing on one foot improves circulation,” says Dr Kasraie.
Find a local yoga or Tai Chi class, or search for some easy beginner tutorials online.
“Yoga poses like the cat-cow stretch help increase flexibility and mobility, while Tai Chi movements such as ‘brush knee and push’ focus on balance, fluidity, and body awareness,” highlights Mr Clift.
4. Water aerobics
Go to your nearest leisure centre and jump into the pool to get your blood pumping.
“Swimming and water aerobics are excellent choices for seniors because they provide a full-body workout with minimal stress on the joints,” explains Mr Clift. “Common water exercises include water walking and leg lifts.
“Water walking, for example, can be done by walking in place or moving across the pool, and leg lifts help strengthen the core and lower body.”
5. Brisk walking
“Taking a brisk 10-minute walk every day can be a great way to improve your heart health,” says Ms Weston. “And you can work your way up to jogging or walking for longer to improve your fitness even more.”
–with Camilla Foster
How much exercise do you do each week? What other short exercises do you do? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: What impact does regular exercise have on your brain?
