High blood pressure and exercise, High Blood Pressure, Blood pressure and exercise

High Blood Pressure and Exercise

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries. With high blood pressure there is a greater risk of developing narrow arteries which could lead to heart problems and strokes. If your blood pressure is high, it can be lowered by making some changes in your lifestyle. To get a positive result you have to make changes in diet, exercising and also lose weight. This will reduce the risk of developing heart problems that might otherwise occur if your blood pressure is not treated.

The Benefits of Staying Active

Irrespective of your weight and age, any kind of physical activity is good in reducing blood pressure. That in turn reduces the risks of other health complications like high blood pressure, including stroke, heart failure, dementia, kidney disease and vision loss.

Physical activity is very important because it helps in controlling blood pressure as it makes your heart very strong. It helps in pumping more blood to the heart. There has been evidence that exercise decreases the body's release of norepinephrine, a hormone that increases blood pressure by constricting arteries and increasing heart rate. Exercise also improves the condition of arteries and veins, which can enhance blood flow.

Regular physical activity also helps in maintaining a normal weight or losing excess pounds. Weight loss can also have an impact on blood pressure, sometimes reducing it by as much as 20 points. With time you may be even able to reduce some of your blood pressure medications.

Here are a few things to bear in mind:

See your doctor if you are 50 years or older and have never exercised and also if you smoke or if you're overweight.
Be careful if you have a chronic health condition, like diabetes, or a family history of heart-related problems at an early age, or are unsure of your health status.
Also check with your doctor first if you had chest discomfort, shortness of breath or dizziness when exerting yourself, or if you have any heart conditions.
If your blood pressure is severe or not well controlled, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.
If you take medication regularly, ask your doctor if increased activity will make it work differently or alter its side effects. Some medications can affect the way your body reacts to exercise.
Certain kinds of blood pressure medication can impair the ability to regulate body temperature, which could pose a health risk during exercise, especially in hot or humid conditions.
Know the warning signs and symptoms that require immediate medical attention. They include tightness in your chest, severe shortness of breath, chest pain or pain in your arms or jaw, fast, irregular heartbeats (palpitations), and dizziness, faintness or nausea.
Fitting it in
To gain the most benefits, the goal is to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity 30 to 60 minutes a day most days of the week. If you're out of shape or not used to exercising, you may have to work up to this goal gradually.
If it's hard to carve out a 30 minute or 60 minute block of time in your schedule, try to do a series of 10-minute sessions throughout the day to meet your cumulative goal.

Over time, you may find it easier to fit exercise into your daily routine. And you might just see improvements in your blood pressure that will make you stick with them.

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