Best Exercises to Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to serious health conditions affecting the heart, kidneys and brain. This is why it’s important to keep track of your blood pressure and monitor it frequently. Blood pressure can be greatly affected by your lifestyle, making small changes to your daily routine can help keep it within a healthy range naturally. One easily achievable change is exercising regularly, however there are some forms of exercise that are more effective than others. 

Please note: If your blood pressure is relatively high, your doctor or nurse may prefer to lower it with medicines before you start exercising. If it’s very high, avoid any new activity without talking to your doctor first.

Daily Cardio Workouts 

It sounds like a simple one, but a daily cardio workout lasting 20-60 minutes can significantly decrease your blood pressure within just 1 month. 

Exercises such as light jogging, swimming, brisk walking, cycling, hiking, rowing and water aerobics are just a few examples of great cardio workouts. One of the biggest perks of cardio workouts is that they don’t need to be done to complete exhaustion. Studies show that daily moderate exercise (using between 60%-70% of your maximum heart rate) can lead to weight loss in as little as a week. Weight loss and reduced BMI (Body mass index) leads to less pressure on the artery walls and ultimately reducing blood pressure. 

Yoga 

There are many different reasons as to why people have high blood pressure. Some are out of our control such as age, gender and family history to name a few. However, others such as stress, diet, smoking and exercise are aspects of our lives that we can change and improve.

Unfortunately, stress can be an everyday occurrence, but one of the best ways to combat it is Yoga. Research shows that the combination of postures, breath control and meditation can lower blood pressure within 12 weeks. Poses such as downward dog, balasana (child’s pose), corpse pose and the seated forward bend all help regulate blood pressure. 

Compound Exercises

Compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, pull ups and lunges can help reduce blood pressure by circulating the blood around the body, strengthening the heart. During your workout remember to regulate your breathing, avoid holding your breath and brace your core for the best results. A repetition range between 12-15 is ideal, as the weight should not be too heavy to cause overstaining.