Just 5 minutes of extra exercise time can bring down blood pressure

A study supported by the British Heart Foundation found that an extra 5 minutes of exercise can help lower your blood pressure. Published in the journal 'Circulation', author Dr. Jo Blodgett shared the findings that suggested exercise is the key to reducing blood pressure rather than strenuous walking.

Research was conducted at the University College of London and the University of Sydney to verify and see if even a tiny amount of additional effort would make any difference. After tracking 15,000 people for 24 hours, the results showed that adding 5 minutes of exercise to the already set person's daily routine - which could be cycling or climbing stairs - will show improvements in the body's blood pressure.

The research study found that though participants did not do a lot of walking or exercises, they still had some positive benefits for blood pressure through climbing the stairs. De Blodgett mentioned that to control the blood pressure it is necessary to put more demand on the cardiovascular system and noted that an extra 5 minutes of any exercise will raise the heart rate and lower the blood pressure by 0.68 mm.

The study focussed on six activities of the participants that helped them track the blood pressure changes over 24 hours and it included sleeping, sedentary behavior, Slow walking, and Fast walking. Standing and exercising.

Lower blood pressure in the body will lead to strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney damage, and other serious health problems. It is the short bursts of physical activity that can help. Exercises and workouts actively strengthen the heart by pumping blood efficiently and with this the force on your arteries decreases leading to lower blood pressure.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 70 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity per year so that it strengthens your muscles.