To lower blood pressure, even five minutes of exercise helps
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Adding just five minutes of exercise to your day may slightly lower your blood pressure, a new study finds. Published online Nov. 6, 2024, by Circulation, the study included 14,761 people who wore activity trackers continuously for a full week. On average, they spent about seven hours a day sleeping, nearly 11 hours being sedentary, three hours standing, one-and-a-half hours walking slowly, just over one hour walking fast, and 16 minutes doing exercise (such as running, cycling, climbing stairs, or walking uphill). Researchers then analyzed the data with statistical models that accounted for other factors that influence blood pressure, like age and smoking. They found that replacing any less active behavior with five minutes of exercise daily could lower systolic blood pressure (the first number in a reading) by 0.68 points and diastolic blood pressure (the second number) by 0.54 points. Spending more time exercising lowered blood pressure even more. According to the study authors, swapping sedentary behavior for 20 to 27 minutes of exercise per day could reduce cardiovascular disease by up to 28% at the population level.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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