Can a few minutes of daily movement really impact blood pressure?
Sometimes the smallest changes can have a big impact on our health. Recent research indicates incorporating even just five minutes of physical activity each day could potentially lower blood pressure. Replacing sedentary habits with 20-27 minutes of exercise, including activities like uphill walking, climbing stairs, running, or cycling, may lead to a clinically significant decrease in blood pressure.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a major global health concern, affecting an estimated 1.28 billion adults worldwide. It can lead to serious health issues like stroke, heart disease, heart failure, kidney damage, often without noticeable symptoms, earning it the nickname “the silent killer”.
But the good news is, you don’t necessarily need hours at the gym to see results.
Researchers from the ProPASS Consortium, a collaboration led by the University of Sydney and University College London
examined data from 14,761 participants across five countries, to understand the connection between daily movement and blood pressure. Each volunteer wore a device tracking their activity levels and blood pressure continuously throughout the day and night.
The findings revealed that swapping out sedentary time for physical activity could make a significant difference, potentially reducing cardiovascular disease risk by up to 28% at a population level.
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“High blood pressure is one of the biggest health issues globally, but unlike some major causes of cardiovascular mortality, there may be relatively accessible ways to tackle the problem in addition to medication,” said Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the ProPASS Consortium.
“The finding that doing as little as five extra minutes of exercise per day could be associated with measurably lower blood pressure readings emphasizes how powerful short bouts of higher intensity movement could be for blood pressure management.”
“Our findings suggest that, for most people, exercise is key to reducing blood pressure, rather than less strenuous forms of movement such as walking,” said Dr. Jo Blodgett, a lead researcher on the study. “The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure.
What’s unique about our exercise variable is that it includes all exercise-like activity, from running for the bus to a short cycling errand, many of which can be integrated into daily routines.”
While even little bits of exercise add up. Walking, of course is still beneficial, but to really make an impact on blood pressure, putting more demand on the cardiovascular system through exercise will have the greatest effect”.
Professor Mark Hamer, the other senior author of the study emphasizes the importance of research like this, “the findings show how powerful research platforms like ProPASS are for identifying subtle patterns in sleep, movement and sedentary behavior that have significant implications for both clinical and public health
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How much time spent on moderate to vigorous activity is associated with a noticeable decrease in systolic blood pressure?
## Can a Few Minutes of Daily Movement Really Impact Blood Pressure?
**(Intro Music)**
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re talking about a topic that affects millions: high blood pressure. Joining us is Dr. [Guest Name], a cardiologist and leading expert on hypertension. Dr. [Guest Name], thanks for being here.
**Guest:** It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Host:** Now, we often hear that exercise is essential for heart health, but a recent study suggests even a few minutes of movement could make a difference. Could you tell us more about that?
**Guest:** Absolutely. This new research from the ProPASS Consortium is quite eye-opening. They found that simply replacing 20-27 minutes of sedentary time with moderate to vigorous activity led to a noticeable decrease in systolic blood pressure. [[1](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/lower-blood-pressure-5-minute-exercise-rcna178928)]
**Host:** That’s amazing! So, we’re not talking about marathon training here. What kind of activities are we talking about?
**Guest:** The study looked at things like brisk walking, climbing stairs, running, and cycling. Even just incorporating short bursts of these activities into your daily routine could make a difference.
**Host:** This is encouraging news for those of us who lead busy lives and may not have hours to hit the gym.
**Guest:** Exactly. The key takeaway here is that every little bit counts. Moving more throughout the day, even in small increments, can have a positive impact on your blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health.
**Host:** That’s fantastic. Dr. [Guest Name], thank you so much for sharing this important information with us. This is really encouraging news for anyone looking to improve their health.
**Guest:** My pleasure.
**(Outro Music)**
