Millions of Americans have hypertension, or high blood pressure. Hypertension is defined by the University of New Mexico as a reading greater than 140/90 millimeters of mercury, or mmHg. Getting exercise can have a positive effect and help you control your hypertension. Knowing how exercise lowers your blood pressure, how much exercise you need and the effects of aerobic activity and weightlifting may be motivating. Consult your doctor about beginning an exercise routine if you have heart disease or any other health condition.
Benefits
Exercise makes your heart stronger. If your heart is stronger, it doesn't need to work as hard to pump blood -- which controls your hypertension. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can lower the top number of your blood pressure by 5mmHg to to 10mmHg. Regular exercise helps control hypertension as you age and helps reduce weight, which is another factor that's useful in controlling hypertension.
How Much
The Mayo Clinic says it takes one to three months of regular exercise to begin controlling hypertension. If you stop physical activity you may erase benefits; if you don't exercise enough, you may not get to the point of having a strong enough heart to control your hypertension. The American Council on Exercise recommends exercising 10 to 15 minutes at a time initially and then increasing the amount of time by five minutes every two to four weeks. You should eventually exercise 30 to 60 minutes at a time five or six times a week. You can break up time into shorter intervals, at least 10 minutes, several times a day.
Aerobic Activity
Resistance and flexibility exercises are important in a fitness program, but aerobic activity that increases your heart and breathing rates controls hypertension. Not all aerobic activity is traditional exercise. The Mayo Clinic identifies aerobic activity as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, soccer, climbing stairs, walking, jogging, biking and swimming.
Lifting Weights
Lifting weights is a type of resistance exercise. According to the University of New Mexico, weightlifting can have a positive yet modest effect on hypertension. Weightlifting must be done carefully because it can cause a dramatic rise in blood pressure during the activity. Work on aerobic activities to improve your fitness level before you try to lift weights. If you want to pursue weightlifting, use lighter weights to reduce strain and don't hold your breath while lifting. This can dangerously increase your blood pressure. Always listen to your body and stop the exercise if you feel short of breath, dizzy, or have pain in your chest.
