Exercise and blood pressure

Regular physical activity is a great way to reduce blood pressure and it makes you feel good too. Discover how exercise reduces your blood pressure, explore the benefits of exercising regularly and find out which exercises are best for people with high blood pressure (hypertension).

Can exercise reduce blood pressure?

Regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your heart, and it’s a great way to reduce your blood pressure.  

Evidence shows that people with high blood pressure who exercise regularly are able to reduce their systolic blood pressure reading (top number) by 12.26 mmHg and their diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) by 6.12 mmHg. This reduction in blood pressure lowers your risk of heart attack or stroke.  

Learn more about high blood pressure

Effect of exercise on blood pressure

Exercise has both short-term and long-term effects on everyone’s blood pressure. After a single workout, blood pressure can drop for up to 24 hours. This drop may be larger in people with high blood pressure (hypertension).  

In the long-term, with regular exercise your blood pressure stays lower. This helps keep your heart healthy and reduces your risk of heart disease. 

What is normal blood pressure? 

Does blood pressure increase during exercise?

During exercise it’s common for your blood pressure to increase as your heart works harder to pump blood to your muscles. This rise in blood pressure is temporary and normal, and usually begins to decrease as soon as you stop exercising.

Is it safe to exercise with high blood pressure?

Most people with high blood pressure can safely exercise. In fact, regular physical activity helps to reduce your blood pressure and make your heart stronger. It’s more dangerous to be sitting on a couch doing nothing than exercising at a safe level.  

If you haven’t exercised for a while, or your blood pressure isn’t well controlled, it’s important to talk to your doctor or nurse before you start, so you can discuss the safest way to exercise.  

If you take medication to lower your blood pressure, it may affect how your body reacts to exercise. Discuss this with your doctor, too.

What is the best exercise for people with high blood pressure?

Focus on activities that raise your heart rate and increase your breathing to a moderate level. You should still be able to talk, but not hold a full conversation.  

Aerobic activities like brisk walking, jogging, swimming and cycling are great for lowering blood pressure.  

Strength training activities that use weights, resistance bands or your body weight are also great for lowering blood pressure. Focus on doing these at a moderate level and make sure you don’t hold your breath or strain when doing them. If you’re new to exercise, it’s okay to start at an easy level, but build up to at least a moderate level for best results.  

Yoga can also help lower blood pressure, but avoid inverted (upside-down) poses, e.g. headstands or backbends. These can raise blood pressure quickly. Instead, do gentle poses that keep your head above your heart.

Isometric exercises for people with high blood pressure

Isometric exercise is a type of workout where you tighten your muscles without moving your body. This means your muscles tense and work hard while you stay in one position. Examples include planks and wall squats.  

It is very important to keep breathing while you do isometric exercises. Don’t hold your breath.

Doing isometric exercises for 12–20 minutes a day, three times a week can significantly lower blood pressure. In fact, a recent study found isometric exercises were the most effective type of exercise for lowering blood pressure. 

Exercises to avoid with high blood pressure

Check with your doctor or nurse before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have high blood pressure. They can help you chose safe exercises that work for you.  

There are some exercises that might not be safe for people with high blood pressure, particularly if it isn’t well controlled. These include activities that are very intensive for short periods of time, such as sprinting, heavy weightlifting or high intensity interval training (HIIT). It may also include extreme sports like scuba diving or skydiving. Discuss these types of activities with your doctor first.  

Some yoga and Pilates poses may also be unsafe for people with high blood pressure. Talk to your instructor. 

It’s also important to avoid exercises where you hold your breath and strain (known as the Valsalva manoeuvre). These types of exercises can make your blood pressure rise quickly and put extra strain on your heart and blood vessels. 

Important: If you feel chest pain, dizziness or confusion while exercising, stop right away and consult your doctor or nurse.

Tips for exercising safely

• Speak to your doctor or nurse before you start regular exercise, especially if you haven’t been active for some time or have health concerns. 
• If you’re new to exercise or it’s been a while, build activity slowly. 
• Warm up and cool down to prevent injuries and stretch to improve flexibility. 
• Cool down gradually for at least 5 minutes to prevent a sudden drop in blood pressure.  
• Listen to your body. Stop if you feel pain or discomfort and don’t exercise if you feel unwell.  
• Wear suitable gear (comfortable) and drink water regularly so you don’t get dehydrated.  
• Have rest days between exercise to stop burnout or injury.  
• Focus on using the correct technique, especially when using equipment or lifting weights. If you’re unsure about technique enlist the help of a trainer, at least until you know what you’re doing!  

You can find some great warm up and cool down videos on the NHS website.

How hard should I exercise?

Finding the right exercise intensity is important for a safe and effective workout. 

Aim for a moderate intensity. This type of activity increases your heart rate and makes you breathe harder than normal, but you’re still able to talk in short sentences. 

By comparison, high-intensity physical activity makes you breathe so hard it’s tough to talk. You can only say a couple of words at a time. 

People with high blood pressure should focus on regular, moderate-intensity exercise. While some high-intensity exercises can be safe under proper guidance from your doctor, it’s important to avoid sudden spikes in blood pressure.  

Remember to listen to your body and rest when needed.

How much exercise should I do?

Aim to do at least 2.5 hours (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. Also aim to include two to three strength training sessions each week. 

Another option is to do 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week. If you have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before doing this level of exercise. 

For ideas on how to add more activity into your day, visit our physical activity page.

Blood pressure complications during exercise

If your blood pressure spikes (goes up a lot) when you exercise and stays high for more than two hours afterwards, you should talk to your doctor or nurse. You may have a condition called exercise-induced hypertension, which can increase your risk of heart disease. 

On the other hand, if your blood pressure drops too low and you feel dizzy or faint, that’s also a sign you should see your doctor or nurse

Getting started

To make exercise a habit, start small and be consistent. Choose activities you enjoy, like brisk walking or cycling. Begin with short sessions and gradually increase the duration and frequency. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week, but if you need to, you can break it into smaller chunks – every bit helps. Remember to listen to your body and rest when you need to.  

Staying motivated

• Find activities you enjoy so you’re more likely to stick with them. 
• Exercise with whānau or friends to make your workout more enjoyable and help keep you on track.
• Having a trainer is a great way to start off safely – most gyms offer a few free sessions. 
• Track your progress with a smart watch or fitness tracker – seeing improvements can be a big boost to your motivation. There are a range of free fitness tracker apps you can use on your phone.
• Make it a habit. If you exercise regularly, you’re more likely to stick with it.  
• Setting a realistic goal is another great way to stay motivated. Learn more about setting SMART goals. 

Remember, any progress you make will improve your heart health.  

Where can I get support?

A green prescription from your doctor is a way to get support to be more active. It helps you to set goals and make realistic changes you can stick with. It’s also a good way to meet others who want to improve their health and wellbeing.  

Check out Sport NZ to find sport or recreation activities in your area.  

Exercise New Zealand offers discounts on gym memberships at over 200 providers across Aotearoa New Zealand.  

Our page on exercise for people with heart conditions includes a list of directories for free and low-cost activity sessions around the country.