For hypertensive patients, exercise has been widely recognized in medicine as a non pharmacological means of reducing blood pressure. In addition to common activities such as walking, running, barbecuing, swimming, and playing ball, there are three effective "blood pressure lowering exercises": plank support, horse riding, and wall squatting. 01. Prolonged sitting and moderate mild exercise can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular death. How much damage does hypertension cause to blood vessels? Long term high blood pressure is like a strong water column constantly flushing the blood vessel wall. Over time, it can cause endothelial damage, followed by lipid deposition and inflammatory reactions, making the blood vessel wall thicker and harder, ultimately leading to stenosis or rupture. In January of this year, a new study in the international journal Medicine showed that making small adjustments in daily life can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular death. This study, which covered over 18000 people and tracked for more than 6 years, found that compared to people who sit for long periods of time and hardly exercise, hypertensive patients who sit for ≤ 6 hours/day and engage in moderate mild exercise have a 64% lower risk of cardiovascular death; Hypertensive patients who sit for ≤ 6 hours/day and engage in excessive exercise have a 57% reduced risk of cardiovascular death. Long term sitting (6 hours/day) and almost no exercise are the high-risk combination with the highest risk of death. Some people believe that exercise requires sweating profusely to be effective. But this study suggests that for many hypertensive patients, especially middle-aged and elderly people or those with other comorbidities, moderate and sustainable activity is more important than vigorous exercise. What are the three effective "blood pressure lowering exercises" that can work for a few minutes at a time? Are there any exercises that are not too tiring and suitable for people with hypertension to assist in lowering blood pressure? A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that "equal length exercises" such as plank support, horse riding, and wall squatting are the best exercise choices for lowering blood pressure. The benefits of tablet support include not only lowering blood pressure, but also achieving a more stable core, a more upright posture, and a more relaxed lower back. Correct practice: Lie face down on your stomach, grab the ground with your toes, stretch your arms straight, support your torso, tighten your core area, and keep your torso flat. The corresponding descending exercise method: Kneeling on a tablet, landing on the knee, keeping the arms straight, and tightening the core of the body. A study in the international journal "Sports Medicine" found that wall squatting may be the most effective isometric exercise in terms of blood pressure lowering effect. Correct practice: lean against the wall and slide your legs down at a 90 degree angle to a sitting position. Place your hands on your chest and tighten your core muscles. If you feel that the difficulty of the movement is too high, try the step down exercise method: the angle between the thigh and calf can be maintained between 90-120 degrees. Despite its simple movements, Zama Step is also one of the classic equal length exercises, which has a good auxiliary blood pressure lowering effect. Correct practice: Keep your feet shoulder width apart, keep your upper body straight, bend your knees to reduce your height by about 10 centimeters, and keep your knees no higher than your toes. Please note that when squatting, the toes and knees should be spread outwards to reduce the burden on the knees and avoid sports injuries. The above equal length exercises only require 2 minutes per group, usually done in 4 groups, with 1-4 minutes of rest between groups. That is to say, taking a few minutes of activity every day can complete a "blood pressure training" session, which is not troublesome and can effectively interrupt prolonged sitting. 03 Exercise for hypertensive patients, remember these 4 points: Choose the right time and avoid noon. A study in the international journal Nature Communications found that there is a "golden time for exercise" in a day. Compared with other time periods, exercising from 11:00 to 17:00 every day further reduces all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality. But be careful to avoid outdoor activities during the hot and sunny noon hours. Don't start and stop suddenly, give the body a buffer. High blood pressure patients should exercise gradually, avoiding sudden intense exercise or sudden stopping halfway. Before exercising, it is recommended to warm up for about 10 minutes, such as jogging, stretching, etc., to help the body adapt to the exercise state. After exercise, gradually relax through stretching, massage, and other methods to prevent significant fluctuations in blood pressure. ■ Moderate intensity, do not try to be too strong. For hypertensive patients, the daily exercise intensity should be moderate, with the ability to speak but not sing. It is recommended to control the heart rate at 60% to 70% of (220 age). Accumulate at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, which can be divided into 30 minutes per day or even completed in segments. Assessment before exercise, safety first. The "Guidelines for Hypertension Nutrition and Exercise (2024 Edition)" states that hypertensive patients should control their blood pressure before exercising if their systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure exceeds 180 mmHg and/or 110 mmHg before exercise, on the basis of standardized medication. Before exercising, it is necessary to check for any discomfort symptoms such as chest pain, tightness, palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue, cold sweat, lower limb edema, etc. If any symptoms occur, exercise should be suspended and medical attention should be sought promptly; At the same time, in combination with your own medical history and medication, if you have coronary heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, diabetes, stroke history or recent blood pressure fluctuations, you must first be evaluated by a doctor and issued a prescription for exercise, and you cannot exercise on your own. (New Society)