Staying Still Too Long is Raising Your Blood Pressure - How to Lower it Easily

These overlooked activities lower your risk—why skipping them could shorten your life.

Author

My Longevity Experiment
April 19, 2025

Daily Exercise to Reduce Blood Pressure: Just Five Extra Minutes May Make a Measurable Difference

A recent study has found that adding just five extra minutes of physical activity to one’s daily routine can lead to a noticeable reduction in blood pressure. This small change could significantly benefit the 1.28 billion adults worldwide currently living with hypertension.

Understanding Blood Pressure and Its Risks

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined as having a systolic pressure of 140 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or more, and a diastolic pressure of 90 mmHg or more. Systolic pressure measures the force of blood through the arteries when the heart is pumping, while diastolic pressure represents the force when the heart is at rest. Hypertension is linked to an increased risk of serious health complications, including heart attacks and kidney damage.

Small Changes, Significant Outcomes

The study, led by researchers at University College London and published in Circulation, estimated that just a few minutes of heart-rate-elevating activity, such as climbing stairs or cycling, could reduce systolic blood pressure by 0.68 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.54 mmHg.

"The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn't take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure," said first author and epidemiologist Jo Blodgett. "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."

Research Methodology and Findings

The findings were based on data collected over one week from 14,761 participants who wore activity trackers and blood pressure monitors. The researchers categorized daily behaviors into six types: sleep, sedentary behavior, slow walking, fast walking, standing, and vigorous exercise. They then modeled how substituting one type of activity for another might influence blood pressure, adjusting for variables such as age and sex.

Their models indicated that replacing 21 minutes of sedentary behavior or fast walking with exercise could lead to a 2 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure.

"For those who don't do a lot of exercise, walking did still have some positive benefits for blood pressure," said Blodgett. "But if you want to change your blood pressure, putting more demand on the cardiovascular system through exercise will have the greatest effect."

Implications for Public Health

Though the study was observational and cannot confirm direct causality, its large sample size strengthens the suggestion that even small increases in physical activity can impact blood pressure. The researchers hope the simplicity and minimal time commitment required will encourage more individuals to adopt brief, intense physical activities into their routines.

"The finding that doing as little as five extra minutes of exercise per day could be associated with measurably lower blood pressure readings emphasizes how powerful short bouts of higher intensity movement could be for blood pressure management," said joint senior author Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity and population health at the University of Sydney.

Your call to action for daily exercise to reduce blood pressure

Start by adding just five extra minutes of vigorous movement to your day. Whether it’s climbing stairs, cycling to the store, or a brisk walk around the block, these small efforts can have a measurable impact on your blood pressure. Monitor your daily activity levels and gradually increase the intensity to see greater benefits. This simple change could be a powerful step toward improving your cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of hypertension-related diseases.

Study Links: