Exercising to Lower Blood Pressure

Amy Taylor December 10, 2014

Regular physical activity is one of the keys to lower your blood pressure. And even if you are taking medications for hypertension, studies have shown that exercising can boost the drug’s effect on your body.

Exercising doesn’t have to be agonising. Here are a few tips that will help you lower blood pressure through exercise.

Seek help from a trainer.

Working with a pro ensures that you are doing each routine properly and that you’re getting good results. A fitness trainer can design a workout programme that fits best your needs, abilities, and lifestyle. People who have heart problems may need a different kind of physical activity, so it is always a good idea to work with a professional trainer.

Improve your strength.

Strength training is another good way to lower your blood pressure. This specific kind of exercise helps you burn body fat, boost muscle mass, and raise metabolic rate. If you don’t have access to weights and weight machines, you can always do abdominal crunches or curl-ups.

Try swimming.

Doing aerobic exercise ("cardio") is good for your blood pressure. Swimming is a gentle way to do it, and is more fun too! Go for 30 minutes, or work up to that amount if that’s too much right now.

Make it convenient.

Commit to making exercise part of your schedule. Find a time that works for you. You can work out while the kids are at soccer practice, before or after work, or even during your lunch break.

Get moving.

Amazingly, you don’t need a lot of exercise to make a difference to your blood pressure. When Japanese researchers asked 168 inactive volunteers with high blood pressure to exercise at a health club for different amounts of time each week for eight weeks, blood pressure levels dropped almost as much in those who exercised for 30 to 90 minutes a week as in those who exercised for more than 90 minutes a week.

How much exercise is enough?

Moderate-level aerobic activities, such as brisk walking for at least 30 minutes a day, can really make a difference! Sometimes, it may even be enough to decrease or eliminate medications. Not only that. Exercising on a regular basis can certainly help make medications work more effectively. In fact, exercise itself can reduce blood pressure readings by as much as 5-15 mmHg.

A gradual increase in the intensity of the workout is an easy and safe way of lowering your blood pressure. If you haven’t exercised in a while, start slowly to prevent injuries. Begin with 10 to 15 minutes of exercise you enjoy, such as walking around the block or on a treadmill. Increase the duration and intensity of your workout until you reach the goal of 30 minutes each day. By planning ahead and making a schedule, you can make exercise a daily habit.