Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure (HBP), can be a deadly illness if you don’t manage it. It can lead to serious health issues like urinary problems while exposing you to cardiovascular diseases like heart disease, stroke, and aneurysms.
High blood pressure sets in when there is a continuous unhealthy increase in your blood pressure levels. The trigger point for high blood pressure is 130 systolic and 80 diastolic. Once your blood pressure exceeds these limits, then you have high blood pressure.
Nearly 50% of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, but what makes it even worse is that not all of them know it.
Having your blood pressure under control is essential, but you can still regulate it if you have hypertension. In this article, I will share with you how you can use exercise to fight hypertension.
“But how can regular exercise help fight hypertension?” You might wonder. Well, this article is here to guide you. When starting an exercise routine to fight hypertension, you don’t have to go to the gym; you can begin at home. Also, it might interest you to know that simple exercise and workout routines can work wonders.
Exercise for hypertension
Here is a list of exercises that you can engage in to fight hypertension.
1. Cardiovascular or Aerobic exercise: Doing cardio and aerobic exercises is an effective way to combat hypertension. They burn many calories and regulate blood pressure while keeping the heart healthy. Some cardio exercises you can engage in to fight hypertension are swimming, bicycling, and water aerobics.
2. Household chores: As insignificant as it might seem, doing household chores can help burn calories and fight hypertension. Household chores such as gardening, laundry, and cleaning can reduce your blood pressure.
3. Strength training: Strength training can be essential when you are fighting hypertension. Because strength training burns calories quickly, that makes it an effective way to reduce hypertension. A bonus is that strength training improves joints and bones.
4. Stretching: Stretching while having high blood pressure can be helpful as it makes you flexible and allows the flow of blood in your veins. Also, it relieves body pain and helps you to avoid injuries.
How often should you perform exercises?
The first tip is not to not overdo it, especially when starting. You must start slow and go steady on your exercise routine.
At least 30-60 minutes daily of doing house chores improves your health. Also, spending around 20 minutes doing cardio exercises and strength training improves your fitness.
I advise you to engage in strength training two or three times a week to allow for muscle repair.
In summary
It’s best if you consult your doctor before starting a workout program to fight hypertension. Also, to get better results, stay on a healthy diet that leads to better weight management. Cutting down on dietary sodium and certain meats while exercising gets your blood pressure under control quicker.
