So why is it that as many as 75 million of us — that’s one in three adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — currently have high blood pressure, often without even knowing it? The reason is simple: High blood pressure (also referred to as HBP, or hypertension) typically has no symptoms. It doesn’t, for example, cause chest pain or make you huff and puff while climbing a flight of stairs. The only way to know if your blood pressure is creeping up — and therefore take steps to control it — is to have your blood pressure checked regularly. American Heart Association guidelines define blood pressure as normal at less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and high blood pressure as 140/90 mmHg or more. If you do find out that your blood pressure is heading in the wrong direction, there’s good news: Even small amounts of daily exercise can help keep it in check or lower your blood pressure if it’s already higher than it should be. Can Low-Intensity Exercise Like Walking Reduce Your Blood Pressure? Yes. In a landmark study in the journal Menopause, researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, studied about 400 women between the ages of 45 and 75. All were overweight or obese, sedentary, and had high blood pressure. Researchers divided the women into four groups, three of which exercised at different intensity levels and for different lengths of time. The fourth group remained sedentary. Six months later, all three groups of active women had improved blood pressure readings. The numbers for the group that did the most intense exercise were only slightly better than the numbers of the group that worked out least intensely. Though the women did not lose weight, they benefited greatly from improving their cardiovascular fitness. Regular exercise also helps reduce stress by reining in the body’s stress hormones, including cortisol, notes Harvard Health. That’s key because stress can make blood pressure rise, even in young adults, according to research published online on October 28, 2016, in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. How Much Exercise Do You Need to Keep Your Blood Pressure in Check? Ideally, everyone — but especially those with health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure — should get at least two and a half hours of moderate exercise every week, says cardiologist Tracy Stevens, MD, of the Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. “Try for at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week, and never go more than two days without any exercise,” says Dr. Stevens, who is also a professor of medicine at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. “Walking is one of the best and easiest exercises you can do. You can walk anywhere, and it doesn’t require any equipment beyond a good pair of sneakers.” If you’re overwhelmed at the thought of committing to an exercise routine, relax. All you have to do is start by walking for just five minutes, three times a day, Stevens say. Those short walks will get easier each time, which, in turn, will make it easier to keep going a little longer. Before you know it, those initial 5 minutes will become 6, then 8, then 10 — and doing 10 minutes three times a day will add up to the 30 minutes you need. Another way to get started is by sneaking short bursts of exercise into your day. Little steps that can add up include:
Parking a little farther from the entrance everywhere you go — to work, to the grocery, to doctor appointmentsCarrying the groceries in from the car one bag at a timePrepping meals and moving around the kitchen as you cook instead of ordering takeoutTaking the stairs rather than the elevator if you’re going up or down one or two flightsWalking over and having a face-to-face chat with a coworker instead of calling or emailingStanding up and moving around the room while you’re on the phone and during commercial breaks on televisionWalking the dog for an extra five minutes
If you’re limited by back, hip, or knee pain and even short walks are difficult, try a workout that doesn’t put stress on your limbs. One good option is walking in a heated pool; the warm water will soothe and cushion rather than stress joints. A recumbent bike may be another good choice, Stevens says. It’s also smart to discuss your fitness plan with your doctor, who can give you personalized advice. What Can Make Sticking to an Exercise Routine Easier?
