High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common medical condition affecting millions worldwide. It is also a significant risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Fortunately, regular exercise can help manage and lower high blood pressure. In this article, we’ll discuss the relationship between exercise and blood pressure and the best types of exercise for managing high blood pressure.
Exercise and Blood Pressure
Before diving into the relationship between exercise and blood pressure, it’s essential to understand what it is and how it’s measured. Blood pressure is literally the force, the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body. It’s calculated using two numbers: systolic blood pressure (the top number), which measures the pressure when the heart beats, and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number), which measures the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. A regular blood pressure reading is around 120/80 mmHg.
Research has shown that regular exercise can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and improve overall health and fitness. Exercise can help improve blood pressure in several ways, including:
1. Strengthening the heart:
Regular exercise helps strengthen the heart. This means it can pump blood more efficiently and with less effort. When the heart is more robust, it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood through the body, which can help reduce blood pressure.
2. Increasing blood flow:
Exercise helps improve blood flow throughout the body, including the arteries. This helps to keep the arteries flexible and healthy, which reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
3. Reducing inflammation:
Inflammation can damage the walls of the arteries and increase the risk of high blood pressure. Exercise has been shown to reduce inflammation, which can help improve blood pressure.
4. Aiding in weight loss:
Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for high blood pressure. However, exercise can help with weight loss, which can help reduce blood pressure.
5. Lowering stress levels:
Stress can cause blood pressure to rise. However, exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels, which can help lower blood pressure.
6. Lowering resting heart rate:
Regular exercise can help lower your resting heart rate. A lower resting heart rate means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood, which can help reduce blood pressure.
Does Exercise Increase Blood Pressure?
While exercise can help lower blood pressure in the long run,
it’s important to note that some types of exercise can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure during and immediately after exercise. This is especially true for high-intensity exercises or strength training. So, does exercise increase blood pressure? This is generally not a concern for people with normal blood pressure. Regular exercise can help lower resting blood pressure, which is more important than the temporary increase during exercise.
The Best Types of Exercise for Managing High Blood Pressure
Not all types of exercise are created equal when it comes to managing high blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week for adults. Some examples of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise include brisk walking, cycling, and swimming. Vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise includes activities like running, jumping rope, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Here are some of the best types of exercise for managing high blood pressure:
1. Aerobic exercise:
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, is any exercise that raises your heart rate and breathing rate. This type of exercise is excellent for managing high blood pressure because it helps strengthen the heart, improve blood flow, and aid in weight loss. Aerobic exercise includes walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing.
2. Resistance training:
Resistance training, also known as strength training, involves using weights, resistance bands, or even your own body weight to build muscle. Resistance training is great for managing high blood pressure because it can help lower resting blood pressure, increase muscle strength, and aid in weight loss. Examples of resistance training exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, and bicep curls.
3. Yoga
A low-impact exercise combining physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, yoga is brilliant for managing high blood pressure because it can help reduce stress levels, lower resting heart rate, and improve blood flow. Some yoga poses that are particularly beneficial for managing high blood pressure include the tree pose, bridge pose, and corpse pose.
4. Pilates:
Pilates is another low-impact type of exercise that focuses on core strength, flexibility, and balance. Also beneficial for our bones, Pilates is great for managing high blood pressure because it can help strengthen the heart, improve blood flow, and aid in weight loss. Some Pilates exercises that are particularly beneficial for managing high blood pressure include the hundred, roll-up, and single-leg stretch.
5. Tai Chi:
Again, Tai Chi is a low-impact exercise style. The discipline involves slow, flowing movements and deep breathing. Tai Chi is great for managing high blood pressure because it can help reduce stress levels, lower resting heart rate, and improve blood flow. Some Tai Chi movements that are particularly beneficial for managing high blood pressure include the wave hands like clouds, repulse monkey, and brush knee and push.
High blood pressure is a common medical condition that can lead to serious health problems if left untreated. Fortunately, regular exercise can help manage and lower high blood pressure. Exercise can improve blood pressure by strengthening the heart, increasing blood flow, reducing inflammation, aiding in weight loss, lowering stress levels, and lowering resting heart rate.
While some types of exercise can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure during and immediately after exercise, regular exercise can help lower resting blood pressure, which is more important in managing high blood pressure. As always, talking to your doctor before starting any new exercise routine is imperative, especially if you have high blood pressure or any other medical condition. Why not check out some of our classes?