Patients with hypertension should not rely solely on pills. Treatment should be comprehensive. Although you can buy medicine for the treatment of hypertension in almost any pharmacy, the pharmacotherapy is not the only and often not the best way to control blood pressure.
Increased levels of physical activity and exercising are among the methods to prevent and treat hypertension. When the exercise is performed on a regular basis:
- The risks of hypertension occurrence reduce to 60%.
- Treatment is faster and more effective.
- The dose of antihypertensive drugs used is reduced.
At the same time, insufficient physical activity is a key risk factor for hypertension and a vast number of other non-communicable diseases.
Benefits of exercises for patients with hypertension
During the exercises, our heart begins working faster. This may be accompanied by an increase, and sometimes a decrease in blood pressure. However, statistics show a lower prevalence of hypertension in athletes.
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things that you can do for the cardiovascular system in particular and for your body in whole. Exercises reduce the pressure, exerted by blood on the walls of the vessels, and helps to:
- Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Control or reduce your weight.
- Increase muscle volume and strengthen bones.
- Improve mood, self-esteem and mental health.
- Reduce the risk of injury in elderly patients.
Exercise is not only an effective, but also the cheapest way of controlling intra-arterial pressure. Although the price of most antihypertensive drugs is not high, some of them can be very expensive. When observed globally, the costs for hypertension treatment are a heavy burden for public health.
We should not forget that exercises for hypertension control reduce the risks of various non-communicable diseases. Consequently, any bodily movements improve health and save money that could be spent for treatment in the future.
Blood pressure and intensity of exercises
Clinical practice shows that the higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk of damage to blood vessels, heart disease and deterioration of the internal organs functions. The earlier you begin performing exercises, the greater the health benefits.
Benefits for the heart health depend on the intensity of the exercises. Though, you have to be careful. You should not be out of breath while exercising. If you can talk during the physical activity, it means that no further health risk are created.
While going through hypertension prophylaxis or treatment, attention should be paid to the fact that:
- You need to begin with small physical loads and gradually increase them.
- The most important thing for people with hypertension is to perform moderate-intensity exercises to get the maximum health benefits.
- Walking, jogging, cycling and swimming are good examples of activities that you should focus on.
Mild exercises every day are more beneficial for the cardiovascular system, than one workout once a week. It is better that they are:
- Planned
- Structured
- Repetitive
Even 1 hour of moderate-intensity exercise per week is good for you. You should better be physically active for at least 2.5 hours per week.
Let your doctor or trainer adjust the duration and intensity of your physical activity. For example, exercise for hypertension and diabetes can be frequent and not intense.