How Long to Lower BP With Exercise?

Being diagnosed with high blood pressure can be scary since you now know that you have an increased risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. It is natural that you would want to lower your blood pressure as soon as possible, and while prescription medication might seem like the fastest method, you will be surprised to learn how quickly exercise can make a dent in that high number. Not only is exercise cheaper than prescription drugs, but it also comes with a host of positive side effects that the medications do not offer.

Lower Blood Pressure in Less Than a Month

• According to a pamphlet published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in Indiana, many people see a marked difference in their blood pressure after just three or four weeks of daily exercise. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a branch of the well-known Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has compiled a list of activities that would fall under the heading of moderate daily exercise. The more strenuous the activity, the less time you are expected to engage in that activity. For example, you need to play a game of basketball for only 20 minutes to get the recommended amount of exercise for one day. If you choose to jump rope, you need to do it for only 15 minutes. However, to get the recommended amount of exercise by doing chores in the garden, you will need to spend 45 minutes weeding and watering.

Purchase a Pedometer

• Not everyone is able to spend 45 minutes a day in their garden. Fortunately, you can get the requisite amount of exercise just by walking, which is where the pedometer comes in. A study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine in 2007 offered conclusive evidence that people who use pedometers get more exercise, and therefore see lower blood pressure numbers, than people who do not use pedometers. This small device can be clipped onto a belt, arm strap or shoe to count the number of steps you take throughout the course of your day. According to the ACSM, taking 10,000 steps a day will meet the requirement for moderate daily exercise.

Positive Side Effects

• While medications that lower blood pressure are often accompanied by undesirable side effects, exercising to lower your blood pressure will generate a plethora of positive side effects. For example, you will be burning calories and possibly shrinking your waistline. During your exercise routine, your body will be producing endorphins that help to stave off depression and anxiety.