Exercise and Blood Pressure
When you have high blood pressure, it’s important to understand the relationship between exercise and blood pressure. For many people exercise is a wonderful way to help lower blood pressure, but it’s not safe for everyone.
In general, exercise is good for you. It helps to strengthen your heart and improve your circulation. It also helps you to maintain a healthy weight and to feel stronger and have more energy.
If you have high blood pressure, exercise can help you to get to an ideal weight, manage the stress in your life, and lower your blood pressure.
There are several things to keep in mind when adding exercise to your lifestyle.
First, talk with your doctor about what’s appropriate specifically for you. If your blood pressure is very high, you may need to take it easy with your fitness routine. Go over your specific plans with your doctor and get suggestions.
You’ll want to start slow for several reasons.
First, you don’t want to overexert yourself and at the same time put too much stress on your heart. In addition, you want fitness to be a lifetime goal. It doesn’t have to happen overnight.
When people overdo it the first few days they exercise, they tend to be more likely to give up. You may feel sore, exhausted, and drained if you’ve done too much. Instead, start slow and gradually build up more endurance so you can stick with it.
When exercising, make sure you pay attention to your body. You should be able to carry on a conversation when exercising. If you feel short of breath or unable to talk, slow down. You should also pay attention to chest pain – if you feel it, it’s time to stop and call your healthcare provider.
The simplest exercise for most people is walking. Walking allows you to get your heart pumping without overexerting yourself. Start slow and build up your distance and speed. For some people just walking around the block is a challenge.
If you’re not in great shape, try walking down the street and back. Eventually you’ll be able to walk miles. It just takes time to build up and improve your physical fitness. With walking, all you need is a comfortable pair of shoes and someplace to do it.
Start where you are. Walk as fast as you can and don’t try to compete with others. Remember that exercise and blood pressure go hand in hand and if you can be consistent, you’ll see the benefits of exercise on your health.