Home exercise programme to lower your Blood Pressure

By rjoachim | April 1, 2023

Regular exercise makes the heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. As a result, the force on the arteries decreases. 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 120/80 mm Hg or lower.

Becoming more active can lower both the top and the bottom blood pressure numbers. How much lower isn’t entirely clear. Studies show drops from 4 to 12 mm Hg diastolic and 3 to 6 mm Hg systolic.

Regular exercise also helps maintain a healthy weight. Weight management is an important way to control blood pressure. 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.

Any activity that increases the heart and breathing rates is considered aerobic activity. Some examples are:

  • Active sports, such as basketball or tennis
  • Bicycling
  • Climbing stairs
  • Dancing
  • Gardening, including mowing the lawn and raking leaves
  • Jogging
  • Swimming
  • Walking

A combination of aerobic and weight training seems to provide the most heart-healthy benefits.

If you sit for several hours a day, try to take 5- to 10-minute breaks each hour to stretch and move. An inactive — also called sedentary — lifestyle is linked to many chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure. To get some movement into your day, try taking a quick walk or just going to the kitchen or break room to get a drink of water. Setting a reminder on your phone or computer may be helpful.Some medicines, including blood pressure drugs, affect the heart rate. Medicines also may affect the body’s response to exercise. If you are being treated for high blood pressure and recently started exercising more, ask your provider if you need to adjust your medicines. Sometimes getting more exercise reduces the need for blood pressure medicine.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206
Posted in Exercise & Fitness