Just 5 minutes of exercise could help lower blood pressure, study suggests

Just five minutes of vigorous exercise a day might help lower blood pressure, a new study suggests.

Just five minutes of vigorous exercise a day might help lower blood pressure, a new study suggests.

An analysis of data from nearly 15,000 people revealed that running, biking, climbing stairs or brisk walking for just those few minutes can have a positive effect on blood pressure. Increasing activity up to 20 minutes can reduce the risk of heart disease by a significant amount, according to the report published Wednesday in Circulation.

“Exercise is the most important thing favorably associated with blood pressure,” Mark Hamer, a professor in sport and exercise medicine at University College London, said in a Zoom interview.

People with high blood pressure have a higher risk for heart disease and stroke, the leading causes of death in the U.S. In 2022, high blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of 685,875 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, which is defined as a systolic blood pressure (the upper number) of greater than 130 or a diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) greater than 80.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/lower-blood-pressure-5-minute-exercise-rcna178928

---