Summer often moves physical activity to the sea. Swimming, a dip in the water, or gentle water exercise isn’t just a way to cool off, it’s also a real ally for heart health. Exercise, regardless of the season, remains one of the most effective tools for lowering blood pressure, though not every type of exercise works equally well.
A scientific review published last month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests three main forms of exercise can meaningfully help lower blood pressure. The key takeaway is that the benefit for people with hypertension is significant, as long as exercise becomes a regular part of daily life.
The forms of exercise that appear most effective at lowering blood pressure are:
1. Aerobic exercise: activity that raises heart rate, such as brisk walking, cycling and swimming.
2. Combined training: a program mixing aerobic exercise with strength training, whether in the same session or on different days.
3. High-intensity interval training (HIIT): alternating short bursts of intense effort with easier recovery periods.
24-hour blood pressure monitoring
Researchers measured blood pressure over a full 24-hour period rather than during a single doctor’s visit, a method considered more reliable since it better captures how blood pressure behaves in everyday life. The results showed exercise can lower blood pressure throughout both day and night.
The review pulled together 31 clinical trials involving a total of 1,345 participants, all lasting at least four weeks, comparing how different types of exercise affected 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. That monitoring method uses a portable device, the well known Holter monitor, which automatically measures blood pressure every 15 to 30 minutes over the full day.
Overall, people who did aerobic exercise, combined training or HIIT saw their systolic blood pressure drop by roughly 5 to 6 mmHg compared with those who didn’t exercise.
The study’s authors also noted limited but encouraging evidence for other exercise types, including resistance training (with weights, bands or bodyweight), isometric training (like planks or wall sits), and activities such as yoga, Pilates and recreational sports.
A silent threat
As specialists from the Hellenic Society of Hypertension regularly point out, high blood pressure is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor, which is why the World Health Organization continues to flag it as a major global public health problem.
Specifically, it’s linked to 16% of all deaths, 53% of cardiovascular deaths and 58% of stroke deaths. It’s often called a “silent killer” because it typically causes no symptoms until serious complications develop.
In Greece, an estimated 3 million people have hypertension, yet one in three cases goes undiagnosed. On top of that, roughly 30% of patients in the country who are on blood pressure medication still don’t have it under control.
Given all this, experts continue to stress the importance of prevention through a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise. These same habits shouldn’t be underestimated as part of treatment either, especially for essential hypertension, which accounts for 95% of cases.
