5 minutes of daily exercise can lower blood pressure: Study
A recent study has found that adding just five minutes of exercise into your daily routine can drastically reduce blood pressure. The research, led by University College London and the University of Sydney, tracked some 15,000 people with activity trackers for an entire day. The findings showed that simple activities like climbing stairs or cycling to local shops positively affected blood pressure levels.
Short bursts of exercise prove beneficial for blood pressure
Dr. Jo Blodgett from University College London stressed on exercise's role in controlling blood pressure. She stated that their findings indicate exercise is crucial for most people in reducing blood pressure. The study also noted that even short bursts of physical activity can be beneficial. More strenuous activities were found to be more effective in lowering blood pressure than less intense exercises like walking.
5 extra minutes of exercise could lower heart disease risk
The study found that an extra five minutes of exercise could lower systolic blood pressure by 0.68 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.54 mmHg. Prof Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney emphasized the importance of these findings. He mentioned that the discovery that just five extra minutes of exercise or vigorous incidental activities a day could lead to lower blood pressure readings highlights the effectiveness of short bursts of higher intensity movement in managing blood pressure.
Small reduction in blood pressure could lower heart disease risk
A population-level reduction of 2 mmHg in systolic and 1 mmHg in diastolic pressure could reduce heart disease risk by about 10%. This highlights the health benefits of making small lifestyle changes, like adding short bursts of higher intensity exercise into your daily routine. The study was published in the journal Circulation and was supported by the British Heart Foundation.
The hidden dangers of high blood pressure
High blood pressure impacts 1.28 billion adults globally and is a leading cause of premature death. It can result in severe health issues such as strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney damage, and vision loss. Often referred to as a "silent killer," high blood pressure typically shows no symptoms, making it difficult to detect early
