High Blood Pressure and Exercise

Longevity Exercise Physiology and Personal Training Edgecliff, Lindfield, Marrickville, Randwick, Drummoyne, Balmain and Bella Vista today discuss hypertension or high blood pressure and exercise.

Hypertension as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as ‘the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of the body’s arteries, the major blood vessels in the body. Hypertension is when the blood pressure is too high’. Many people worldwide suffer from hypertension, and unfortunately can lead to serious health consequences if not managed correctly. Medication is often prescribed to reduce blood pressure, and when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise it can improve significantly.

In terms of the types of exercise that is best proven to reduce high blood pressure – it is recommended to complete both cardiovascular (aerobic) and resistance training. The recommended guidelines for cardiovascular exercise include 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. This should consist of continuous aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming or cycling. You can also include 75 – 150 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular exercise each week, such as hill climbing, stair climbing, or short intervals (providing it is safe for you to do so). It is advised to complete 2 resistance exercise sessions per week, and needs to be performed slowly, use whole body movements and controlled breathing to achieve a reduction in blood pressure.

Both of these types of exercise will increase the ‘flexibility’ or elasticity of your blood vessels, which ultimately leads to a reduction in blood pressure in both the short and long term.

Both of these types of exercise will increase the ‘flexibility’ or elasticity of your blood vessels, which ultimately leads to a reduction in blood pressure in both the short and long term. The healthier your blood vessels are the less likely hypertension will lead to other health consequences such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Alongside medication, exercise can be just as effective at reducing blood pressure, and the even the smallest amount of activity can produce a benefit. So if you have been diagnosed or prescribed medication for hypertension, why not try some simple exercise such as walking, there is nothing to lose!

Contact Longevity Personal Training and Exercise Physiology Edgecliff, Lindfield, Marrickville, Randwick, Drummoyne, Balmain, Bella Vista on 1300 964 002 to enquire today about a program that is suitable for you to manage your high blood pressure.

References

World Health Organisation (2020). Retrieved 11 November 2020, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension

Written by Susannah Mah-Chut