Exercise can help lower blood pressure. It can have immediate, more short-term effects—a phenomenon called post-exercise hypotension—but exercise has long-term benefits for blood pressure, too. Different types of exercise may have unique benefits for your heart, blood pressure, and overall health with hypertension (high blood pressure).
Among the many benefits of exercise is its research-backed ability to lower blood pressure. Research suggests that getting regular exercise, even in 10-minute increments, can drop your systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg (millimeters of mercury).
Experts don’t fully understand the exact mechanism for how exercise lowers blood pressure, but research suggests that exercise likely addresses several factors that contribute to high blood pressure. Here’s how:
- Widens blood vessels: Exercise can lead to vasodilation, or a widening of your blood vessels, which decreases the pressure on the blood vessel walls.
- Strengthens your heart: Regular exercise strengthens your heart and improves circulation, which makes it better at pumping blood with less effort. This helps keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.
- Helps manage stress: Exercise can also improve your mood and reduce stress that may lead to short-term and long-term increases in blood pressure.
- Promotes good sleep: Poor and irregular sleep is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure. Staying active can help you sleep better at night and lower blood pressure.
- Supports weight control: Exercise also helps you manage your weight. Research shows that if you have excess weight, losing even a small amount takes strain off your heart and can lower blood pressure significantly.
Different types of exercises help lower blood pressure and support your overall health in different ways.
Isometric Exercise
Isometric exercise, technically a form of resistance training, involves tightening your muscles to hold your body still without moving. Examples include wall squats, where you sit against a wall as if you’re in an invisible chair. A large review of studies found that isometric exercises may have the biggest impact on blood pressure.
Isometric resistance exercise may lower systolic blood pressure by 5-10 mmHg in adults with hypertension, or by 4-6 mmHg in those without the condition.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise involves moving your large muscles in a rhythmic and repetitive pattern. This can help lower blood pressure and reduce waist size by lowering visceral fat—the unhealthy fat stored around your organs.
While higher-intensity exercises like running may offer faster results, even moderate-intensity activities like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming can help lower blood pressure over time.
Getting regular aerobic exercise can help people with hypertension lower their systolic blood pressure by 4-8 mmHg.
Dynamic Resistance Training
Strength training or dynamic resistance training helps build and strengthen your muscles. Examples of this type of exercise include lifting weights, using resistance bands, or performing bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats.
A large research review found that it’s is highly effective, lowering systolic blood pressure by about 5 mmHg.
HIIT Training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves bursts of intense, mostly aerobic exercise followed by short periods of rest or lighter activity. Research suggests HIIT training can also lower blood pressure, and it may boost your overall fitness with a smaller time commitment compared to other exercise routines.
Experts recommend that each week, adults should aim for:
- 150 minutes of moderate exercise, like brisk walking, or
- 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, like running, or
- A mix of both types, and
- At least two strength training sessions
- Balance training daily
When just starting an exercise routine, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity most days of the week. If you’re short on time, you can break your workout into shorter sessions throughout the day. Research suggests that intervals as short as 10 minutes are beneficial for blood pressure.
Before starting an exercise plan, it’s important to take precautions to stay safe and be successful:
- Get your doctor’s guidance: Talk to your healthcare provider, especially if you take medications or haven’t been active recently.
- Start slow: Start with low-intensity exercises and slowly increase how long or often you exercise as your fitness improves.
- Cool down: Be sure to cool down after exercising. This is an important step to help ensure your blood pressure doesn’t drop too quickly or too far. Pay attention to any signs of low blood pressure, such as lightheadedness and muscle cramping.
- Make it fun: You may enjoy exercise more if you do it with friends or opt for social activities like some sports, dancing, and others. Add some variety to your routine to keep things interesting, too.
Regular exercise is a highly effective way to lower your blood pressure. Exercise routines work best when they become a consistent part of your routine. Try to include the recommended amounts of aerobic exercise, resistance training, and isometric exercises.
