Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure (HBP), can be deadly 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 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 you can use to fight hypertension.
1. Cardiovascular or Aerobic exercise: Doing cardio and aerobic exercises effectively 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 blood pressure.
3. Strength training: Strength training can be essential to fight 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 with high blood pressure can be helpful as it makes you flexible and allows blood to flow 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. Instead, you must begin to slow down 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 use strength training twice a week to allow for muscle repair.
In summary
It’s best to 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. In contrast, exercising gets your blood pressure under control more quickly.
If you or someone you know is looking to improve your health, share this article on Facebook or Twitter so that others can learn more about self-care.
