Just 5 minutes of exercise could reduce high blood pressure, study finds

Just a few minutes a day could make a big difference in your blood pressure, according to a new study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of Sydney evaluated how small bursts of exercise impacted people’s blood pressure.

A total of 14,761 participants across six countries wore activity trackers while performing short physical tasks, including walking at various speeds, running, cycling or stair climbing, according to a press release from UCL.

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Throughout a 24-hour day, the participants had approximately seven hours of sleep, 10 hours of sedentary behavior (such as sitting), three hours of standing, one hour of slow walking, one hour of fast walking and just 16 minutes of exercise activities, the release stated.

The researchers then analyzed what happened to blood pressure when a person replaced a less active behavior with five minutes of exercise, finding that it resulted in "clinically meaningful" improvements.

Incorporating just 10 to 20 additional minutes of exercise per day could equate to a 10% reduction in heart disease risk, the release stated.

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"Our findings suggest that, for most people, exercise is key to reducing blood pressure, rather than less strenuous forms of movement, such as walking," Dr. Jo Blodgett, first author of the study from UCL Surgery & Interventional Science and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health, said in the release.

"The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure," she continued. 

"What’s unique about our exercise variable is that it includes all exercise-like activities, from climbing the stairs to a short cycling errand, many of which can be integrated into daily routines."

While walking did have some positive effects, the researcher noted, exercises that "put more demand on the cardiovascular system" were shown to be most beneficial for blood pressure.

"When we lead lifestyles our bodies weren’t designed for — such as being sedentary or having constant access to high-calorie foods — our health can suffer."

Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is defined as readings that are consistently above 140/90 mmHg. 

The first number, systolic blood pressure (SBP), measures the pressure against the artery walls when the heart beats, UCL noted. 

The second number, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), measures the pressure against the artery walls while the heart muscle rests between beats.

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The condition affects 1.28 billion adults and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, statistics show.

Despite the absence of symptoms, hypertension is a main contributing factor to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney damage and other dangerous conditions.

This is the first study to examine the effects of substituting one activity with another, according to joint senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, director of the ProPASS Consortium from the Charles Perkins Centre. 

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"The finding that blood pressure may be beneficially affected by small amounts of exercise, some of which might be done as part of daily living, is also unique," he told Fox News Digital.

"Until now, most research has focused on structured exercise, which, unfortunately, is hard to initiate and even harder to maintain as a lifestyle habit for most people."

This study confirms what clinicians and patients have long observed, according to Ian Del Conde Pozzi, M.D., cardiologist at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

"One way regular exercise reduces cardiovascular risk, including heart disease and stroke, is by lowering blood pressure and improving metabolic health, such as enhancing glucose metabolism and supporting healthy weight management," Del Conde Pozzi, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

The human body functions at its best with daily physical activity, the doctor noted.

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"When we lead lifestyles our bodies weren’t designed for — such as being sedentary or having constant access to high-calorie foods — our health can suffer," he said.

Regular exercise helps restore the body to its "natural state," allowing it to function better and helping to prevent many chronic health conditions.

Exercise alone may not be enough to resolve hypertension, however.

"While most patients with high blood pressure may not achieve full blood pressure control through exercise alone, some individuals can potentially prevent high blood pressure altogether by adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise," Del Conde Pozzi said.

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Based on the findings, the researchers recommend that physically inactive people try to accumulate five to 10 minutes of activity per day initially, and gradually increase to around 25 to 30 minutes a day.  

"This does not necessarily have to be in one continuous session — it can be done in multiple sessions interspersed across the day, with each session as short as one or two minutes," Stamatakis told Fox News Digital. 

"Of course, combining such daily activity with a structured exercise program would be optimal."

The study was supported by the British Heart Foundation.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.