Does Exercise Lower Blood Pressure?
If you’re trying to stay healthy and active, an exercise regimen is a great idea. But, if you have high blood pressure you might be asking this question: does exercise lower blood pressure?
The answer is yes: establishing regular physical activity makes your heart stronger, causing it to pump more blood more effortlessly. The result: lower blood pressure as force on your arteries lessens.
Regular Exercise Also Assists with Healthy Weight
Another important factor in lowering your blood pressure is to keep a healthy weight. Regular exercise can help you do that, too. Even losing just 5 pounds will lower your blood pressure!
But, you do need to exercise regularly to create a real impact on your blood pressure. The healthy benefits you achieve will only continue while you exercise. And, to see any impact, you’ll need to exercise for one to three months.
What Amount of Exercise Do You Need?
Along with establishing a regular exercise routine, you also need to allow the time for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, or a combination. In short, that’s 30 minutes of aerobic activity daily.
Not used to exercise? You can build up slowly, breaking your exercise activity into three separate ten minute sessions for the same good health benefit.
Remember, any activity that increases your heart and breathing rates is an aerobic activity. This includes everything from active sports like tennis to bicycling, stair climbing, dancing, running, or even gardening. Swim, walk, or mow your lawn – the important thing is to get those minutes of aerobic movement in to strengthen your body and lower your blood pressure.
Combining aerobic exercise with a form of weight or resistance training can provide the largest benefits for your heart and blood pressure.
Keep Moving
If your work keeps you in place for a few hours or more every day, it’s important to get moving when you can. Take five to ten minute breaks each hour if you can, to stretch, move, and just get in some motion. Being sedentary for a long period of time leads to a variety of health conditions, including high blood pressure.
Set a reminder on your phone or computer to get up and walk – even a quick stroll to the kitchen or down the hall can help a great deal. Add another healthy habit in the mix – when you take that stroll, get a glass of water and drink it. It’s important to stay hydrated, too.
Do You Need a Doctor’s Okay to Exercise?
If you suffer from any chronic illness, it may be best to check in with your doctor before heading into a new exercise program, especially if you’re not used to being active.
Check Your Progress
You can check on your blood pressure easily with a home blood pressure monitor. Try to check at the same time every day for the most accurate readings.
Learn More About Longevity Herbs
Along with exercise, healthy herbal supplements can help lower blood pressure, too. If you’d like to learn more about Longevity Herbs, browse our product selection online or contact us today.
