Scientists: regular physical activity lowers blood pressure as effectively as medication.
Regular physical activity can lower blood pressure as effectively as medication. This conclusion was reached by specialists at the University of Connecticut, summarizing data from clinical studies and updated recommendations from the American Heart Association. Even moderate and short-duration activities — from walking to yoga — showed a noticeable and sustained effect in people with hypertension. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).
Research shows that blood pressure decreases within a day after physical activity and remains lower on days when a person is active. Moreover, the effect is observed not only from aerobic training and strength exercises but also from yoga, tai chi, balance exercises, and even light activities. According to the scientists, all types of movement are effective, and the best choice is the one that a person is willing to do regularly.
This approach is especially important for overweight individuals: every kilogram lost reduces blood pressure by about 1 millimeter of mercury. Additional benefits come from "multicomponent" practices — for example, yoga, which combines movement, stretching, and stress reduction, saving time and increasing commitment to exercise.
The authors emphasize that new clinical guidelines increasingly recommend starting hypertension treatment with lifestyle changes — movement, nutrition, and stress management — and only adding medication when necessary. In their opinion, physical activity should become a fundamental part of standard therapy, and specialists in therapeutic exercise should be integral members of medical teams.
Earlier, scientists found that lycopene from tomatoes may help lower blood pressure.
