Hypertension is a rising concern worldwide, leading to an increased burden of cardiovascular cases and mortality rates. According to reports, hypertension or high blood pressure affects over a billion people globally. This is driven by multiple factors, including stress, pre-existing medical conditions, sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, and reduced physical activity. Following a healthy lifestyle, which includes a healthy diet, weight management, stress management and regular exercise, can help maintain normal blood pressure levels. Your exercise routine need not always be high-octane. Practising low-impact workout for blood pressure control may also help.
Blood pressure is the force of blood, which pushes it opposite to the walls of arteries when the heart pumps the blood and circulates it to the entire body. The normal range of blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg or less, but when these values surpass the normal levels, it can lead to stage 1 and stage 2 high blood pressure and finally a hypertensive crisis, where immediate medical intervention is required.
High blood pressure or hypertension can lead to severe headaches, increased heart rate, nosebleeds, vision problems and anxiety issues. Elevated blood pressure levels can also cause angina (chest pain), heart failure or even stroke in extreme cases.
Exercising involves movement and contraction of the muscles in a rhythmic pattern, which increases the oxygenation and circulation of blood in the body. This causes the heart to pump more blood easily, which reduces the force on the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure levels.
According to athlete-turned-entrepreneur Aman Puri, basic exercises like stair climbing, walking, jogging, or cycling can help lower the diastolic and systolic blood pressure levels.
"When an individual performs these low-impact exercises regularly, it helps in reducing the peripheral vascular resistance, allowing the blood to easily through the blood vessels with less force. This is because of the widening of the blood vessels (vasodilation), which improves overall circulation and lowers blood pressure. In addition, exercise also helps in strengthening the heart by making the myocardium (heart muscles) strong and improving the ability of the heart muscles to pump the blood efficiently," Aman Puri tells Health Shots.
Doing low-impact physical activity helps in managing stress hormones, which contribute to hypertension. Hormones like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine help in regulating breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, and exercises help in managing these hormones, supporting cardiovascular function.
"Exercising daily also helps boost endothelial function, which supports the normal flow of blood. In the long run, low-impact exercises may help in reducing LDL levels and manage a person's cholesterol profile, promoting better cardiovascular health," he adds.
From brisk walking, cycling, and swimming to exercises such as lunges, squats, arm raises, knee pulls, and hamstrings - doing these regularly can help you keep blood pressure in check. But Aman Puri says doing the following three low-impact exercises itself can make a difference to your health.
A simple routine of brisk walking for 30 minutes daily can help lower blood pressure levels. Faster walking elevates the heart rate and breathing and improves circulation and exercise capacity.
Riding a cycle involves an active peddling motion, which promotes better circulation in the body. Being an aerobic exercise, it helps improve cardiovascular health by making the heart pump blood more efficiently and improving the elasticity of the blood vessels. Additionally, cycling also helps in managing weight and lowering stress levels, both of which are causative factors for elevated blood pressure.
Swimming, an aerobic exercise, helps in strengthening the heart and improving its efficiency in pumping blood, which lowers blood pressure. It also helps in improving blood circulation, increasing the oxygenation and blood supply throughout the body. Swimming is also said to reduce arterial blood pressure and improve vascular functioning.