A blood pressure test measures the amount of force exerted on your artery walls when your heart contracts -- known as systolic pressure -- and when the heart is between beats, which is referred to as diastolic pressure. The test -- which is measured in millimeters of mercury, or mmHg -- is usually taken when you are seated and relaxed. A healthy reading for an adult is considered to be 120 mmHg systolic pressure over 80mmHg diastolic pressure, or less. However, your blood pressure will change, depending on how you are feeling, your overall health, and environmental factors such as your temperature and physical activity.
High Diastolic Pressure
High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. A diastolic reading of between 80 and 89 mmHG is classed as pre-hypertension and should be watched carefully. If you have a reading of 90 or more, you are considered to have hypertension. This requires immediate treatment, which may include medication as well as changes to your diet and a regular exercise program. A blood pressure test is the only way to know for sure that you have high blood pressure because there are often no symptoms. But you are more at risk if you have a family history of the condition, are overweight, smoke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, use the contraceptive pill or are pregnant, are of African-American descent, have a high-salt diet or are over 35 years of age.
Aerobic Exercise and Blood Pressure
Regular cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise helps to prevent and/or reduce high blood pressure by strengthening your heart muscle. The stronger this muscle is, the less effort it needs to pump blood pump around your body, which means there's less pressure exerted on your artery walls. For maximum benefits, you should aim to do at least 30 minutes five times a week of any activity that elevates your heart and breathing rates -- for example, brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, swimming, even household chores. If you already have hypertension or pre-hypertension, it will take about three months of regular aerobic activity to lower your blood pressure readings. If you are within the healthy blood pressure range, exercise can help ensure you stay there as you get older.
Monitoring Blood Pressure During Exercise
If you are just starting an exercise program and/or you have hypertension or pre-hypertension, you should do moderate workouts for the first few weeks, and gradually build the intensity as your fitness improves. An easy way to gauge your exertion levels is to try talking as you're working out. If you can talk in brief sentences but find it difficult to hold a full conversation, you're working at the right intensity. If you can sing, you're probably not working hard enough and if you can't talk at all, you should ease off until your fitness improves.
Precautions
If you have been diagnosed with hypertension or pre-hypertension, you should check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. This is especially important if you are considering doing anaerobic activities and/or those which raise your blood pressure dramatically for a short period of time. These types of activity -- including weightlifting, squash, sprinting, skydiving or scuba diving -- cause sudden spikes in your systolic and diastolic pressure, which in turn places strain on your heart.
References
- MedlinePlus: Blood Pressure
- American Heart Association: Blood Pressure
- American Heart Association: Let's Talk About High Blood Pressure and Stroke
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise: A Drug-Free Approach To Lowering High Blood Pressure; Aug. 5, 2010
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity and Blood Pressure
- Blood Pressure Association: What Kinds Of Activity Are Useful For Lowering Blood Pressure?
