High blood pressure and exercise: Why activity is key

The risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) increases with age. And like it or not, you get older every day. But you don't need to sit back and wait for high blood pressure to strike. Get moving! Regular exercise can help prevent high blood pressure, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. And if your blood pressure is already high, exercise can help you control it.

How exercise helps

How are high blood pressure and exercise connected? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. And the less your heart has to work, the less force, or pressure, that's exerted on your arteries.

Becoming more active can lower your blood pressure by an average of 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). That's the same effect as some blood pressure medications. For some people, it's enough to reduce the need for blood pressure medication.

If your blood pressure is at a desirable level — less than 120/80 mm Hg — exercise can keep it from rising as you age. And there's more. Regular exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight, another important way to control blood pressure.

The caveat? You need to keep it up. It takes about one to three months for regular exercise to have a stabilizing effect on blood pressure. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise.

What counts?

Flexibility and strengthening exercises are an important part of an overall fitness plan, but it takes aerobic activity to control high blood pressure. And you don't need to spend hours in the gym every day to benefit. Simply adding moderate physical activities to your daily routine will help.

Any physical activity that increases your heart and breathing rates is considered aerobic. Mowing the lawn, raking leaves or scrubbing the floor counts — as long as it takes effort. Other common forms of aerobic activity include climbing stairs, walking, jogging, bicycling and swimming.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week. If you can't set aside that much time at once, remember that shorter bursts of activity count, too.

When you need your doctor's OK

Sometimes it's best to check with your doctor before you jump into an exercise program, especially if:

• You're a man older than age 40 or a woman older than age 50
• You smoke
• You're overweight or obese
• You have a chronic health condition, including high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• You've had a heart attack
• You have a family history of heart-related problems before age 55
• You feel pain in your chest or become dizzy with exertion
• You're unsure of your health status

If you take any medication regularly, ask your doctor if increased activity will make it work differently or change its side effects — or if the medication will affect the way your body reacts to exercise.

Keep it safe

To reduce the risk of injury while exercising, start slowly. Remember to warm up before you exercise and cool down afterward. Build up the intensity of your workouts gradually.

If you'd like to try strength training or other resistance exercises, make sure you have your doctor's OK. Some of these exercises may increase your blood pressure — especially if you hold your breath while contracting your muscles.

Stop exercising and seek immediate medical care if you experience any warning signs during exercise, including:

• Chest pain or tightness
• Dizziness or faintness
• Pain in an arm or your jaw
• Severe shortness of breath
• An irregular heartbeat
• Excessive fatigue

Monitor your progress

The only way to detect high blood pressure is to keep track of your blood pressure readings. Have your blood pressure checked at each doctor's visit. If you use a home blood pressure monitoring device, check your blood pressure before you exercise to ensure accurate readings.