High blood pressure exercise: The British Heart Foundation estimates there are 4.8 million people in the UK who are unaware they have high blood pressure. So whether you know your numbers and want to bring them down, or you just want to keep your heart in top condition, you need to exercise regularly. Here are five of the best workouts to avoid hypertension.
If you have high blood pressure or want to avoid developing it in the future, it is crucial you get out and exercise regularly.
Regina Giblin, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, says: “Exercise is the most important thing you can do to avoid high blood pressure.
“A cardiologist once said exercise is one of the best things you can prescribe for high blood pressure.
“Regular exercise makes your heart better because it gets that pump working to get blood around your body, conditioning it and making it more efficient.
“The ideal is doing 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. What that means is basically it’s at a pace where you’re able to talk but slightly short of breath, that’s how you know you’re getting your heart beating faster.”
Ms Giblin adds if you feel unwell during exercise, you should speak to your doctor who will advise you on alternative ways of moving and managing your blood pressure.
These are some of the best exercises to avoid high blood pressure symptoms, but really the exercise you’ll enjoy, and stick to a routine of doing regularly, is the best one for you.
The most important thing is exercising at all, and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle.
So, what are the five best workouts to bring your blood pressure reading down?
1 – Walking or Jogging
If you haven’t exercised in a while and your fitness levels aren’t what they once were, there’s nowhere better to start than walking.
Take it at your own pace, go with a friend or your partner, and enjoy walking around somewhere scenic.
Walking will get you standing up, get your blood flowing and help you to get the endorphins pumping too.
Once you get a bit fitter, try to make your walking pace brisker and brisker, until you’re ready to take it to the next level and give jogging a go.
2 – Swimming
Swimming is a great way to get your blood pumping without putting too much pressure on your joints.
The water can also help to relax your muscles, meaning you’ll leave feeling less tight.
3 – Dancing
Nothing puts a smile on your face like dancing to your favourite music.
Not only does dancing make you feel good, but it’s a great aerobic workout.
If you like moving and grooving, why not find a dance class to improve your moves?
4 – Weight lifting
Exercise that focuses on building your strength by lifting weights or using resistance is thought to be the most effective exercise for reducing blood pressure.
You should try to fit in a resistance workout – with or without weights – once a week.
In fact, a study from 2019, found weight training for an hour a week lowered the risk of heart attack or stroke by between 40 and 70 percent.
5 – HIIT
HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training.
This is a type of workout where you go from a burst of intense activity to a rest period of lighter activity, alternating between the two.
This will really help to strengthen your heart and will have you sweating.
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Post source Daily Express
