Exercise: The Best Way to Lower High Blood Pressure

 Exercise: The Best Way to Lower High Blood Pressure

Despite what you might think, high blood pressure doesn’t just affect adults. Children who are overweight are more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure, or hypertension. High blood pressure puts them at greater risk of heart disease and stroke as they get older, so it’s important to help children lose weight and adopt healthier habits early on in life. Exercise can be one of the best ways to lower high blood pressure, but talk to your doctor about what type of exercise is best for your child based on their current physical state and medical history.

Know your target heart rate

When you exercise, your heart rate increases. Knowing your target heart rate can help ensure that you're getting the most out of your workout and lowering your high blood pressure. To find your target heart rate, simply subtract your age from 220. For example, if you're 50 years old, your target heart rate would be 170 beats per minute. If you haven't been exercising for a while, start by walking for 20 minutes a day and work up to 40 minutes. Walking is an easy way to get started because it's low-impact and doesn't require any special equipment or skills.

Eat right and exercise

Eating right and exercising are two of the best ways to lower high blood pressure without taking medicine. Making sure you get enough exercise and eating a healthy diet can help keep your blood pressure down. And, of course, if you already have high blood pressure, exercising and eating right can help lower it. Exercise does this by causing your heart rate to increase which decreases the workload on your heart. Your heart then pumps less hard so that less blood is pumped out with each beat.

When people with high blood pressure start an exercise program, they usually need to take medication for only one or two weeks before their body starts handling their workload more efficiently.

If you're not used to being active, don't worry!

Get enough sleep every night

Most people need around eight hours of sleep per night. Not getting enough sleep can lead to several health problems, including high blood pressure. Luckily, exercise is a great way to lower blood pressure without taking medicine. Just be sure to get enough sleep every night so that you can reap the full benefits of exercise. You'll also want to wear proper clothing and footwear when exercising outside. When running or walking, make sure you wear shoes with adequate cushioning and have good traction. You should also wear sunscreen on your skin and sunglasses on your eyes if it's sunny out.

Do resistance training to build muscle mass

If you have high blood pressure, exercise is one of the best ways to lower it. And you don't have to spend hours at the gym or run a marathon to see results. Just a little bit of activity can make a big difference. For example, a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that after 12 weeks of an aerobic training program, participants lowered their systolic and diastolic blood pressures by 5 mm Hg. Resistance training also proved effective for lowering hypertension - people who did weight lifting workouts had reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements as well as increased muscle mass in the upper arm and thigh regions.

Go outdoors and play sports at least twice a week

If you have high blood pressure, there's good news: You can lower it without taking medicine. And one of the best ways to do that is by exercising. Exercise helps your heart by making it stronger and more efficient. When your heart pumps blood, it doesn't have to work as hard, so your blood pressure goes down. Regular exercise also lowers levels of hormones that raise blood pressure like adrenaline and cortisol. As a result, when you exercise regularly, your body releases less salt into your bloodstream - another way to reduce high blood pressure naturally. Exercise also reduces stress, which may contribute to high blood pressure in some people. You'll be healthier overall if you make regular exercise part of your life!

Do aerobic exercises at least three times a week

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common condition that can lead to serious health problems. But there's good news: You can often prevent or control high blood pressure by making lifestyle changes. One important change you can make is to get regular aerobic exercise. To lower your blood pressure naturally without taking medication, do aerobic exercises at least three times a week for 30 minutes each time. Remember to check with your doctor before starting any new fitness routine.

Maintaining an active lifestyle will help you not only lower your blood pressure but maintain a healthy weight and increase stamina so you'll be able to do more throughout the day!