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High blood pressure or hypertension is a serious lifestyle disorder that can lead to strokes, heart attacks and heart failure. It's one of the most important risk factors associated with cardiac mortality, so it should not be ignored.
While proper medication can help manage high blood pressure, healthy eating and exercising are also some excellent ways to prevent high blood pressure.
Regular workouts make your heart stronger and also help you maintain a healthy weight.
They ensure proper flow of blood, which leads to better blood pressure. Exercise not only maintains your blood pressure but also improves your overall health. They help you maintain a healthy weight, keep your cardiovascular system healthy and reduce the risk of multiple diseases involving your heart and kidneys.
To control your high blood pressure and achieve your weight goal, there are various exercises you should consider:
Exercises to control high blood pressure
#1 Walking
Walking, especially brisk walking, is one of the best exercises to lower high blood pressure.
Walking reduces the stiffness in blood vessels and allows a smooth flow of blood in the body. The benefits of brisk walking are mostly seen after workouts. Studies show that 10 to 15 minutes of brisk walking three times a day for six days a week is a very effective way to control blood pressure and weight loss.
#2 Cycling
Cycling or static cycling is another excellent way to help high blood pressure patients develop healthy cardiac health.
It enhances endurance and also strengthens major muscle groups in the body that have an impact on cardiovascular functions. Cycling is a low impact exercise, easy on joints and also helps uplift your mood. It is advised to do at least 30 minutes of cycling a day for three to four days a week.
#3 Swimming
Swimming is a highly effective and complete body workout that potentially helps in controlling high blood pressure in adults and seniors. Swimming improves the functioning of the blood vessels and heart and also strengthens the muscles of your arms, shoulders and legs.
Various studies have shown that 45 minutes of swimming can lower blood pressure by ten points. If you are a beginner and don’t know how to swim, you may simply start with aqua jogging and get used to exercising in the swimming pool. Using a pool noodle or an aqua jogging belt might also be helpful in the beginning.
#4 Strength training
Strength training and lightweight exercises also help lower high blood pressure and also enhances your muscles, joints and bone strength. Strength training exercises enhance your fitness and control blood pressure to a great extent. However, it's ideal to strike a balance between lower and upper body workouts to give your muscles the required recovery time.
#5 Treadmill
Aerobic exercises such as the treadmill help enhance blood flow and circulation to all the major organs and muscles in your body.
They also aid in controlling blood pressure by optimising the cardiac functions. Various studies show that people who walk on a treadmill for one mile per hour for at least ten minutes have controlled blood pressure readings.
Besides these exercises, stretching is also an effective way to reduce high blood pressure. It increases flexibility and also offers some amazing benefits to your body. Stretching focuses on the functions of your muscles and improves blood flow throughout your body.
Conclusion
If you want to control high blood pressure, incorporating these exercises into your everyday routine could help. However, to get the most out of these workouts, it's important to perform them in a sustained manner.
For hypertension patients, 15 to 20 minutes of high-intensity workouts for three to four days a week or a moderate-intensity workout for about 150 minutes per week is the basic recommendation for controlling high blood pressure. Increase the duration only if it is comfortable for your body.
Always remember to start your workout routine with five to ten minutes of simple warm-ups. That will help your body get moving and prevent injury. Lastly, do a few minutes of stretching to cool down your body post-workout.
