How Exercise Helps Lower Your Hypertension Risk

Hypertension is a clinical or medical term for high blood pressure, something that most of us are aware of and the dangers of what it can cause. High blood pressure greatly increases the risk of strokes, heart disease, heart attacks and aneurysms. What is not known is that even a moderate increase in the blood pressure has a long term impact and is associated with a shortened life expectancy. This happens because the heart is forced to work harder in order to pump blood around the body. The longer this goes on, the greater the potential damage and danger to a person’s general health. While most cases of hypertension have no medical cause, a small amount (around 7-12%) can be caused due to a failure of the kidneys, arteries or the endocrine system.

Exercise, even in a moderate amount, can reduce blood pressure and the dangers of hypertension - it is not necessary to take on a massive amount of exercise. Typically a short amount of exercise every few days, a reduced amount of sodium (salt) in the diet and a check of the person’s bodyweight can ensure the dangers of hypertension are avoided.

The importance of physical exercise in reducing hypertension cannot be understated. It is important to say that it is aerobic activity that will reduce hypertension so cardio based activities should always be the focus. Anaerobic activities are good for developing the body but in reducing high blood pressure it is important to raise the beats per minute for the heart to get the desired effect. Aerobic exercise over a period of time will train the body to be stronger but also to take in more oxygen. This oxygen is passed around the body by the blood. When carrying a higher level of oxygen, the heart is working harder to pump this oxygen around the body. Knowing this, your body will also work harder to ‘clean out’ arteries to allow for easier blood flow. These things will reduce the blood pressure when performed over a period of time. The body will be more used to getting oxygen around the body and it will be easier to deliver blood and oxygen throughout the body.

So how much exercise is actually needed? As mentioned earlier, a moderate level of low intensity exercise is all that is required to have the desired effect. Many studies have been performed, but the general consensus is 30 minutes of low intensity exercise will have both long term health benefits and reduce the effects of hypertension in most adults. The 30 minutes of exercise, while encouraged to be completed at once, is not necessary. Our busy lifestyles means that this is not always possible, so 3 sets of 10 minutes should normally suffice.

Exercise can be anything from a walk, running or swimming or competing in a sport. Also, even things that are everyday movements such as cleaning, climbing the stairs or mowing the lawn can be considered exercise or physical activity. The activity is not as important as it is to increase the heart rate. Short bursts of exercise performed throughout the day will have the desired effect, but it is important to remember that the age of a person and their ability to perform certain activities should always take precedent. Overexerting the body is only likely to have negative consequences.

Thirty minutes of exercise is something that most people can accommodate in their daily lives and something we should all take on board as a minimum commitment. Contacting your doctor or fitness instructor will help explain any of the complications if you are ever diagnosed with hypertension. Even if you are not diagnosed with hypertension, it is sensible to ensure it does not become a problem by exercising regularly.