Walking is an underrated form of exercise. Those who believe that only hardcore exercising and gyming can keep them fit are unaware of the hidden benefits of walking daily. One should stay moving to keep the body away from illnesses. Inactivity is a major trigger of heart problems where irregular blood pressure, being a cardiovascular issue is more prevalent. You need to stay active for a healthy heart and cardiac health. A study has found that daily walking helps control hypertension or blood pressure irregularity problems. If you know someone who has hypertension, ask them to read this piece of news. It is very important and helpful.
Walking controls hypertension
The more you walk, the less your BP will fluctuate. As simple as that! A study has found that every 1,000 steps you walk lower down about 0.45 points of BP. This shows that walking, the easiest form of physical activity can help maintain your high blood pressure or hypertension issue. Start with baby steps and increase them gradually. Track your progress with a fitness tracker and measure your BP at regular intervals to find your BP lowering down.
The Research
A study was presented at the American College of Cardiology during their annual session with the World Congress of Cardiology. After researching the possible factors that affect cardiovascular health(titled Framingham Heart Study), this study was presented. About 638 participants were studied in this project and they were asked to maintain a record of their BP on a weekly basis. Along with that, they were asked to keep a tab on their physical activity through a wearable fitness tracker device or a mobile app.
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"Measuring habitual physical activity in community-based settings in this way distinguishes our study from prior studies that have looked at either self-reported physical activity or used accelerometers to measure daily activity for only a short amount of time, usually about a week," said Dr. Mayank Sardana, MD, study’s lead researcher and working at the University of California, San Francisco.
The Findings
Being physically active helps to bring down blood pressure. The study found that for every 1,000 steps walked, systolic blood pressure lowered down by 0.45 points. This figure accounts, the higher the steps you take daily, the lower your blood pressure would be.
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"This study solidifies our understanding of the relationship between physical activity and blood pressure and raises the possibility that obesity or body mass index accounts for a lot of that relationship. Going forward, it would be useful to look at how smart devices might be leveraged to promote physical activity, reduce the burden of obesity and potentially reduce blood pressure," Sardana said.
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