How much exercise per week is needed to lower high blood pressure?

Regular exercise is one of the simplest, most effective, and most natural ways to control blood pressure. Physical activity strengthens the heart, pumps blood more efficiently, and reduces stress on blood vessel walls.

The American Heart Association says that when you exercise, your heart gets stronger and pumps blood with less effort. This reduces the pressure on your arteries, which means lower blood pressure. Exercise also helps you lose weight, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce stress. All of these are important factors in controlling blood pressure, according to Verywell Health (USA).

Weightlifting Helps Reduce High Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged Adults

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A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that regular exercise was as effective at reducing systolic blood pressure as blood pressure medication, especially in people who already had high blood pressure.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This can include walking, brisk walking, light cycling or swimming. If you want to do high-intensity exercise, you only need 75 minutes per week of jogging, jumping rope, weightlifting or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). In addition, you should combine strength training at least twice a week with weight lifting, squats or pull-ups.

For people with high blood pressure, maintaining 30 minutes of exercise a day on most days of the week can help lower systolic blood pressure by 5 to 8 mmHg. The best types of exercise to control blood pressure include:

Endurance

Activities such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and aerobic dancing are all endurance exercises that improve circulation and reduce pressure on blood vessel walls. A study published in the Hypertension Journal found that moderate-intensity endurance exercise, in which the body is not too tired but the heart still beats faster and the lungs still breathe faster and deeper to meet the demands of exercise, can help lower systolic blood pressure by 7 mmHg.

Strength training

Light weight training, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups help improve muscle mass, increase metabolism, and aid in weight control. These are all factors closely related to blood pressure. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, strength training 2-3 times a week combined with endurance training will bring optimal blood pressure control.

Yoga and meditation

Exercises that combine deep breathing and stretching, such as yoga, tai chi, or meditation, reduce cortisol, the stress hormone that contributes to high blood pressure. Research in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension found that practicing yoga at least three times a week reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 5 mmHg.

The blood pressure-lowering benefits of exercise can begin to appear after just 1-2 weeks of regular exercise. However, to maintain long-term benefits, people need to exercise regularly. If you stop exercising, your blood pressure can rise again after just 1-2 weeks, according to Verywell Health.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-tap-the-duc-bao-lau-moi-tuan-de-giam-huyet-ap-cao-185250620115911963.htm