The Relationship Between Exercise And Hypertension
by on Sep.30, 2010, under Uncategorized
Exercise to Lower and Control Hypertension
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a chronic medical condition, where the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. As one grows older, the risk of acquiring high blood pressure increases but although medication is available in the vast majority of cases, there is a way, perhaps the most natural way of all, that one can use to help reduce and control chronic hypertension. Some may think of it as a dirty word but it should be no surprise to hear that it is Exercise and it can be of major benefit in reducing and avoiding hypertension. So where is the connection between exercise and hypertension?
How Does It Work?
Broadly speaking, exercise will help to make your heart strong and a strong heart will not struggle to pump blood around your body. When the heart uses less effort to pump blood, the loads – the pressure in other words – on the arteries is reduced resulting in lower blood pressure. Exercise if planned properly is often found to be more effective than medication in lowering blood pressure and almost as excitingly, a regular regime can keep increased blood pressure at bay in the future. Even if exercise cannot produce the full required reduction in blood pressure, it will often facilitate lower doses of medication, which of course is a good thing.
Exercise – Your Weight – Your Blood Pressure
Regular exercise helps you to maintain a healthy weight, but the benefits will only be attained through regular exercise and at the risk of stating the obvious, only regular ongoing exercise will enable you to continue enjoying these benefits in the future.
What Type of Exercises?
Aerobic exercises, commonly called “Aerobics”, are said to be the most helpful exercises when it comes to exercising your heart. as you exercise your heart the most and usually with least risk compared to other exercise regimes. There are many different types of exercise for reducing and controlling blood pressure and weight lifting is a good example. Although resulting in increased blood pressure initially during a weight lifting session, it is an excellent longer term way of reducing and controlling blood pressure. Amongst other good cardiac control exercises, you could also engage in.cycling, climbing stairs, walking, swimming and jogging. These are good examples of undemanding yet highly helpful exercises, where you have control over the pace. You can even listen to your iPod or watch television whilst engaging in some of them!
Safety
An important first step after your decision to start taking exercise is firstly to seek an opinion from your doctor to confirm that it is safe for you to start. It is also sensible to consult your doctor if you are on any medication to check whether exercise will affect its efficacy or possibly produce unwanted side effects.
Always perform stretches prior to commencing your exercise session as this will help avoid pulling muscles or straining yourself and make sure you start your exercise slowly with a gentle warm up for a few minutes. If you feel faint, experience shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, chest pains or dizziness during your exercises, then stop immediately. If this were to happen, it would be sensible to return to your physician to discuss what took place
Drink Plenty Of Water
It is essential that you remember to drink plenty of water. You will be perspiring a lot and the fluid must be replaced.
It is sensible to check your blood pressure before commencing your exercise session and note down the reading. We recommend that you take a further BP reading at the end of your session when you will normally find your pressure is lower than at the start. We have dealt with acceptable blood pressure levels in other articles.
What Type Of Blood Pressure Monitor?
Home blood pressure monitors are readily available these days and for affordable prices, additional features being the main cause for pricevariations rather than superior or inferior accuracy. An automatic digital blood pressure monitor is an ieal choice but at least one retailer we know will give you a free basic monitor if you buy one of their other products!
A point-of-interest as an aside for a moment, you may find that when you take your blood pressure at home, your BP reading will be lower than the doctor’s. This is not an indication that you messed up! It is more likely due to “white coat hypertension” It is believed that this is caused by the anxiety some individuals experience when undergoing a medical clinic visit.
The Bottom Line
If hypertension is an issue for you, just about the cheapest and easiest method you will find to lower and control your blood pressure is exercise.
