Why is being active important for me?
Being active is extremely good for our health and wellbeing, and is promoted by the British Heart Foundation. There is a strong base of scientific evidence pointing towards a positive dose-response relationship between physical activity and hypertension. This essentially means that the more activity you can manage, the more you are doing for your hypertension.
Increasing your level of regular physical activity is a key cornerstone of any lifestyle therapy aimed at preventing or treating hypertension. The primary benefit of physical activity for hypertension is a reduction in blood pressure. Blood pressure is usually presented as two numbers – systolic pressure, which is the top number, and diastolic which is the bottom number. Systolic blood pressure is measured as the heart beats, pumping blood around the body. Diastolic blood pressure is measured as the heart is relaxing between each beat. Every 10mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure reduces the risk of major cardiovascular event by 20%, coronary heart disease by 17%, stroke by 27%, heart failure by 28% and all-cause mortality by 13%.
Physical activity has consistently been shown to reduce the risk of hypertension. The key benefits of physical activity for an individual with hypertension include:
- A short-term reduction in systolic blood pressure post-physical activity, which can persist for up to 24-hrs
- Regular physical activity can lead to sustained reductions in blood pressure
- Prevents blood vessels from narrowing further, and in some cases can lead to an increase in blood vessel diameter. It also acts to reduce the stiffness of blood vessels, allowing them to expand or contract depending on the situation
- Improved blood flow around the body
Other benefits of physical activity for people with hypertension include::
- Reduced oxidative stress – this can reduce the risk of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
- Reduced levels of basal inflammation – excess levels of basal inflammation can lead to an increased risk of suffering from chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and a number of different cancers
- Improved endothelial function – The endothelium is the inner lining of the blood and heart vessels. Improving the function of the endothelium improves immune function and blood flow
- Improved insulin sensitivity and insulin response – improves glucose control, which is particularly important to help manage or reduce the risks associated with type 2 diabetes
- Improved psychological wellbeing
- Improved quality of life
