Your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) increases with age, but getting some exercise can make a big difference. And if your blood pressure is already high, exercise can help you control it. Don't think you need to immediately run a marathon or join a gym. Instead, start slow and work more physical activity into your daily routine.
Being active lowers your blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good shape, lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you have high blood pressure, your doctor or nurse will probably suggest that you try to become more active to lower it.
It has countless other benefits too. Exercise strengthens the bones and improves balance. It keeps your muscles and joints moving which can help keep you active and independent in later life. You can find fitness equipment with coupons.
It can give you more energy and lift your mood, and even improve your cognitive function.
Lifestyle Modification is Foundation for Hypertension Treatment
“Lifestyle modification, including proper diet, salt restriction, and exercise, is the foundation for the treatment of hypertension,” Mintz said. Replenish energy-boosting foods using your own coupons.
He explained that when the definition of hypertension was lowered to current guidelines, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults 45 to 75 years old became classified as having hypertension.
For people with chronic health conditions in addition to hypertension, there are medical options available.
When choosing a medication to prescribe, your doctor will consider any coexisting conditions you may have, such as diabetes, heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease, as well as your race, gender, age, and medication side effects profile, Mintz said.
How Much Exercise do You Need?
You should try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of the two. Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. If you're not used to exercising, work slowly toward this goal. You can break up your workout into three 10-minute sessions of aerobic exercise and get the same benefit as one 30-minute session.
Any activity that increases your heart and breathing rates is considered aerobic activity, including:
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 (resistance) 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. A non-active (sedentary) lifestyle is linked to many chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure. Try low-intensity activities such as taking a quick walk or even going to the kitchen or breakroom to get a drink of water. Setting a reminder on your phone or computer may be helpful.
Ten Minutes of Brisk or Moderate Walking Three Times a Day
Exercise lowers blood pressure by reducing blood vessel stiffness so blood can flow more easily. The effects of exercise are most noticeable during and immediately after a workout. Lowered blood pressure can be most significant right after you work out.
So, health professionals theorize, the ideal way to combat high blood pressure might be to break up your workout into several sessions throughout the day. In fact, one study found that three 10-minute walks a day more effectively prevented future blood pressure spikes than one 30-minute trek per day.
Check Your Heart Rate
To reduce the risk of injury while exercising, start slowly. Remember to warm up before you exercise and cool down afterward. Build up the intensity of your workouts gradually.
Use these steps to check your heart rate during exercise:
Stop briefly.
Take your pulse for 15 seconds. To check your pulse over your carotid artery, place your index and third fingers on your neck to the side of your windpipe. To check your pulse at your wrist, place two fingers between the bone and the tendon over your radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of your wrist.
Multiply this number by 4 to calculate your beats per minute.
Here's an example: You stop exercising and take your pulse for 15 seconds, getting 37 beats. Multiply 37 by 4, to get 148 beats per minute.
When you Need Your Doctor's OK
Sometimes it's best to check with your doctor before you jump into an exercise program, especially if:
You have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, heart disease or lung disease.
You have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
You've had a heart attack.
You have a family history of heart-related problems before age 55 in men and age 65 in women.
You feel pain or discomfort in your chest, jaw, neck or arms during activity.
You become dizzy with activity.
You smoke or recently quit smoking.
You're overweight or obese.
You're unsure if you're in good health or you haven't been exercising regularly.
Some medications, including high blood pressure drugs, affect your heart rate and your body's response to exercise. Also, if you take blood pressure drugs and recently increased your activity level, ask your doctor if you need to adjust your dose. For some people, getting more exercise reduces their need for blood pressure medication.
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