How does exercise help control blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood, and the heart pumps it to the walls of the blood vessels; and if this resistance is higher than normal, the heart must make more effort to pump blood, and this happens every time the heart rate increases.
High blood pressure is dangerous because it endangers the heart and organs of the body, such as the kidneys and brain, and it is the cause of the vast majority of heart attacks globally, so it is important to prevent it.
How does exercise help control blood pressure?
Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight and prevents obesity, so it is also effective in controlling blood pressure. In addition, exercise improves heart function because it reduces the number of beats per minute and prevents excessive pressure on this organ.
Athletes’ blood pressure is usually normal because their body functions better than people who do not exercise. In addition, regular exercise helps control levels of anxiety, stress, and depression and makes you feel healthier and fitter. Exercise also helps control cholesterol and blood glucose levels, both directly related to high blood pressure.
Exercises that control blood pressure:
Experts recommend exercise to people with high blood pressure and prescribe special programs to solve their blood pressure problems. If you also suffer from high blood pressure, you can start exercising with the following program.
Walk fast or moderate three times a day
Exercise lowers blood pressure by reducing the stiffness of blood vessels to make blood flow easier. The effects of exercise are more pronounced during exercise and immediately after exercise, and lowering blood pressure can be very important after exercise.
One study found that three 10-minute walks a day were more effective than 30 minutes of walking a day in preventing high blood pressure.
riding bike
To reduce or prevent high blood pressure, people can do 30 minutes of stationary or mobile cycling during the day, and this exercise, such as walking, should be divided into three times.
Mountaineering
The muscular strength needed to climb a slope, hill, or mountain can help you achieve a higher fitness level. In addition, physical activity such as mountaineering can lower blood pressure by up to 10%.
Weight training
Although it may seem unusual, weight training can lower blood pressure. Strength training raises blood pressure levels temporarily, but it can also help overall fitness, improving blood pressure levels.
Swimming
Another study showed that this form of exercise could help control blood pressure in adults 60 years and older. Over 12 weeks, participants swam simultaneously for 45 minutes. In the end, swimmers lowered their systolic blood pressure by an average of 9 percent, but the benefits are not understood if exercise is not continuous.
Cardiac pumping exercises
Aerobic exercise is better for lowering blood pressure. Aerobic exercise includes basketball, tennis, jogging, swimming, and even household chores such as floor cleaning, so to enjoy these benefits, you should continue to exercise moderately for at least 150 minutes a week.
Housework
Doing housework can help you burn calories, and this will increase your activity throughout the day without completely exhausting you or taking medicine to balance your blood pressure.
Climbing the stairs
One of the smartest ways to lower your blood pressure and get fit is to climb stairs safely because stairs help you burn calories and improve heart health.
Warm-up exercises
Stretching exercises increase flexibility and are beneficial for the body in several ways. It focuses specifically on the muscles, prevents injury, improves blood pressure and blood flow to the muscles, and relieves stress and back pain.
Exercises that negatively affect blood pressure:
Doing any short but very intense exercise is not recommended because they raise your blood pressure very quickly and put a lot of pressure on your heart and arteries. Exercises recommended by your doctor are safe, but doing strenuous exercise will backfire, such as:
Heavy weightlifting
Weightlifting can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure, which can be significant depending on how much weight you are lifting, but weightlifting can have long-term benefits.
Diving and parachuting
Some strenuous exercises, such as scuba diving or parachuting, can be dangerous. If your blood pressure is not controlled, you will need a medical certificate to start or continue it.
Athletics and squash
Popular athletics and squash are on the list of sports that people with high blood pressure should be careful about doing.
