Your systolic blood pressure is the top number of your blood pressure reading, and it represents the pressure your heart generates as it pumps blood through your arteries. Your diastolic pressure -- the lower number -- is the pressure on your heart when it contracts between beats. A lower systolic pressure after exercise, whether it's accompanied by a lower diastolic pressure or not, is cause for concern, because it can be the result dehydration or other conditions.
Hypotension
Hypertension is a well-known synonym for high blood pressure, but what is less common and less understood is hypotension, a condition marked by noticeably lower blood pressure in either your systolic or diastolic readings, or both. Symptoms can include dizziness and even fainting, so if you find yourself feeling lightheaded after working out, especially if it happens more than once, consult a doctor.
Dehydration
Strenuous exercise can lead to dehydration, particularly if you don't drink adequate amounts of water before, during and after your exercise. Dehydration causes not just a loss of water in your body, but an overall reduction in fluids, which can reduce systolic pressure. Dehydration can also be caused by vomiting, diarrhea and the overuse or misusue of diuretics.
Abrupt Recovery
Just as it's normal for systolic and diastolic pressures to rise during a workout, it's expected that those pressures will drop afterward. However, if you suddenly sit down after an intense workout, rather than slow down your movements in a more gradual way, you may experience a drastic drop in systolic pressure. This is because sitting may cause a temporary pooling of blood in the peripheral areas of your body, such as your legs and feet.
Healthy Systolic Drop
A rapid and steady drop in systolic pressure is normal and healthy after exercise, so if you're checking your blood pressure, be aware that a big decrease is likely after raising your blood pressure during your workout. In fact, if your systolic pressure doesn't fall significantly, it could be a sign of coronary artery disease. If you're concerned about how your blood pressure changes during and after workouts, talk with your doctor about what reasonable peaks and valleys should be throughout your day and with all activities in which you engage.
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