High blood pressure, also know as hypertension, has become a common problem. It is often called the silent killer because most of the people suffering from hypertension do not know that they have a serious health problem. Unfortunately, medication can not cure it. But changing your life style can often help you.
Lack of physical activity is often mentioned as one of the main causes of hypertension. Strangely enough, in 95% of the cases the cause is unknown. But a lot of people have managed to lower their blood pressure by becoming more physically active.
So why is exercise helpful? A simplified explanation is that regular physical activity will make your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure
The good news is that even light exercise can lower your blood pressure. Note that the benefits will only last as long as you keep on exercising regularly. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise. On the other hand, exercise has many additional health benefits and can also be fun. Note that it generally takes one to three months before regular exercise will have an impact on your blood pressure.
Since exercise will increase your blood pressure you need to be careful. In some cases, your doctor may first want to lower your blood pressure using medication before you can start exercising. Always consult your doctor first before starting any exercise program.
Exercise can be divided into two categories, aerobic, sometimes also called dynamic, exercise and isometric, sometimes called static, exercise. As a rule of thumb, most aerobic exercises will help you lower your blood pressure. Most isometric exercises are less efficient than aerobic exercises. They can also put too much strain on your heart so many doctors recommend avoiding isometric training. If you are doing isometric training it should be light training.
Aerobic exercises increase the body's need for oxygen. Because blood delivers oxygen to the body, aerobic activity challenges the heart and circulatory system to meet this increased need. Walking, running, dancing and swimming are examples of aerobic exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. Try to avoid being a weekend warrior, doing just one or two long exercise sessions every week. It is much more efficient to exercise every day. Short sessions done frequently, preferably daily, is the way to get results. Begin with light exercise, once you are fitter you can increase the intensity.
In order to get even better results, exercise should be combined with other methods. Two of the most reliable methods to lower your blood pressure are stress reduction and adopting a healthier diet.
