Exercise and Blood Pressure
How Regular Physical Activity Helps Protect Your Cardiovascular Health
Blood pressure is one of the most important cardiovascular numbers to know. Regular physical activity can help lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular risk.
WHAT BLOOD PRESSURE MEASURES
Systolic pressure is the pressure in your arteries when the heart contracts. Diastolic pressure is the pressure between beats when the heart relaxes. One reading is only a snapshot. Blood pressure varies with activity, stress, sleep, caffeine, medications, pain and how the measurement is taken.
EXERCISE CAN HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
A single session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can reduce blood pressure for a period afterward. Over time, regular physical activity can produce clinically meaningful reductions in resting blood pressure. The response varies from person to person.
WHAT KIND OF EXERCISE HELPS?
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Aerobic exercise: Brisk walking, cycling and other sustained activities strengthen the cardiovascular system.
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Resistance training: Dynamic resistance such as lifting weights and isometric exercise such as planks can also be part of a blood-pressure-friendly program.
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Consistency: Current recommendations call for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days.
EXERCISE BLOOD PRESSURE IS DIFFERENT FROM RESTING BLOOD PRESSURE
Blood pressure normally changes during exercise because working muscles need more oxygen and blood flow. This is different from a properly measured resting blood pressure. Resting measurements are most useful when taken under standardized conditions and viewed as a pattern rather than judged from one isolated number.
KNOW WHEN THE NUMBER NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION
Exercise is an important lifestyle tool, but it does not replace diagnosis or prescribed treatment for hypertension. Very high readings — especially when accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, numbness, vision changes or difficulty speaking — require urgent medical attention.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Your blood pressure is responsive to how you live. Regular aerobic activity, strength training and less sedentary time can all be part of protecting cardiovascular health. Know your numbers. Move consistently. Track the trend.
RELIABLE RESOURCES
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American Heart Association — Getting Active to Control High Blood Pressure
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American Heart Association — Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
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