Hypertension and physical exercise

Hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs when systolic pressure is between 120 and 129 mm Hg and diastolic pressure is below 80 mm Hg. Additionally, it may worsen to stage 1 hypertension (systolic pressure of 130-139 and diastolic pressure of 80-89 mm Hg) or stage 2 hypertension. This is more severe hypertension, when systolic pressure is 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic pressure is 90 mm Hg or higher.

High blood pressure levels tend toworsen over time unless steps are taken to control them. And, although it may seem contradictory, one of the most effective steps is to raise your heart rate through physical exercise.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Society of Hypertension state that physical exercise is very useful intreating and preventing hypertension as it reduces blood pressure levels, improves physical fitness and reduces risk factors for chronic diseases.

In fact, even a small reduction in blood pressure levels has been shown to help reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.

The benefits of exercise if you have hypertension

When you exercise your body gains numerous benefits, resulting in a reduction in hypertension:

• It helps to maintain a suitable weight, preventing obesity.
• It increases your heart rate and therefore improves the contraction of your heart, which functions better.
• It helps to fight against anxiety, depression and stress by producing endorphins and other mood-enhancing hormones.
• It lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
• It lowers blood glucose levels, helping to prevent diabetes.
• It improves your physical fitness and appearance, so it makes you feel better.

However, if you have hypertension you should be careful, because not every activity and intensity is suitable for you. The first thing you should do is see your doctor so that they can recommend the exercise that is best for you.

Exercises to treat hypertension

Generally, themost effective exercises for treating high blood pressure (hypertension) are the ones that involve the large muscle groups and are rhythmic and aerobic exercises. These include:

• Walking
• Dancing
• Running
• Swimming
• Cycling

Another factor to take into account is the intensity of the physical exercise. There is no general rule of thumb for this, as everyone’s physical fitness is different, and the intensity recommended for one person may be counterproductive for another.

Therefore, when doing exercise, people with hypertension should consider the following points:

• If it is aerobic exercise, you should monitor your heart rate and breathing. When your heart rate rises above a set level, or you start to pant, you should reduce your intensity/pace. The duration of the exercise varies according to your physical fitness, but for sedentary people for example, it is advisable to start walking at a good pace for about 20 minutes and gradually increase it to 60 minutes over time. It is also advisable to do this 3-5 days a week.
• In the case of anaerobic, body-building exercises, you should always use moderate loads, from 50-69% of the maximum force that can be applied in that exercise, to avoid pushing up your heart rate too much. The duration will depend on the number of exercises, sets and repetitions.
• When you have limited time or become overly tired when exercising, it is best to spread the allotted time (on average 30 minutes of exercise per day) over two or three sessions throughout the day (each of 15 or 10 minutes respectively). The benefit is the same as if you exercise all in one go.