If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, your health care provider probably recommended exercise as part of your treatment. Understanding how exercise influences blood pressure, both during activity and at rest, can help you select exercises that will be appropriate and beneficial. Making exercise a part of your daily routine is a positive lifestyle choice that will benefit you and those you love.
Blood Pressure Basics
Your doctor is concerned about your high blood pressure because it indicates that your arteries might be accumulating plaque. Arterial plaque is like built-up grease in your kitchen drain: the more that accumulates, the less efficient the flow of blood. If left unchecked, arterial plaque can harden, impairing the natural elasticity of the arteries and your system's ability to shunt blood quickly to where it's most needed. If too much plaque accumulates or if a chunk of plaque breaks away from the arterial walls and travels through the circulatory system, an artery can become completely blocked, preventing oxygenated blood from getting to the heart muscle or the brain.
Blood Pressure and Exercise
Blood pressure is expressed as a ratio of systolic to diastolic. Systole is the contraction phase of the left ventricle as it forces oxygen-rich blood out into the systemic circulation, and diastole is the refilling stage when the ventricle relaxes. Systolic blood pressure naturally goes up during exercise to pump extra blood to the working muscles, enabling the circulatory system to work at a higher capacity and cleansing plaque from arterial walls. Regular daily exercise has the long-term effect of lowering resting blood pressure as the system runs more efficiently. Any activity that gets you off the couch or out of your computer chair is beneficial to circulatory health.
Exercise Options
To lower blood pressure, the Mayo Clinic emphasizes the importance of aerobic exercise performed at least 30 minutes daily along with resistance training in moderation. Aerobic exercise includes walking, running, stair climbing, cycling, swimming or any activity that elevates your heart rate above its resting level for a sustained period of time. You should do resistance training with moderate weight loads and higher repetitions as opposed to lifting heavy weights a few times. Rhythmic breathing during activity facilitates oxygen delivery to the working muscles.
The Mind-Body Connection
While conventional exercise is effective in lowering blood pressure, consider trying alternative forms of exercise like yoga or tai chi. In a report by Allison Ross and Sue Thomas of the University of Maryland's School of Nursing, 12 studies showed yoga to have more than 37 specific health benefits, particularly improvements in the body's stress response systems such as lower resting blood pressure. The medical community continues to explore the link between mind and body as they seek alternative treatments to manage heart disease.
Lifestyle Behaviors
Regular exercise is only one facet of a proactive management plan for hypertension. Eating a balanced diet of nutrient-dense foods, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and managing stress are all lifestyle behaviors that help promote a healthy cardiovascular system. Cultivating meaningful relationships and stopping to smell the roses are also good strategies for staying heart-healthy. Before beginning an exercise program, get clearance from your health care provider.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hypertension
- American Council on Exercise: Exercise and Hypertension
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise: A Drug-Free Approach to Lowering High Blood Pressure
- Hillman, Gavin C. and Kravitz, Len PhD: Hypertension and Exercise
- Medill Reports, November 11, 2010: Yoga's Mind-Body Connection More Potent than Exercise
- Heart MD Institute: Mind/Body Medicine
