Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure
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How exercise can lower your blood pressure
When you need your doctor's OK
Monitor your progress
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How exercise lowers blood pressure
How much exercise do you need?
When you need your healthcare team's OK
Check your heart rate
Stop if you feel pain
Track your progress
How exercise lowers blood pressure
Regular exercise makes the heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. So, the force on the blood vessels goes down. This lowers blood pressure.
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). There are two numbers in a blood pressure reading. The top number is the systolic pressure. The bottom number is the diastolic pressure.
According to the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mm Hg.
Becoming more active can lower both the top and the bottom blood pressure numbers. How much lower isn't clear. Studies show drops of 5 to 8 mm Hg diastolic and 4 to 10 mm Hg systolic.
Regular exercise also helps keep a healthy weight. If you're overweight, losing even 5 pounds (about 2.3 kilograms) can lower your blood pressure.
It takes about 1 to 3 months for regular exercise to have an impact on blood pressure. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise.
