{"id":18599,"date":"2021-06-21T09:30:08","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T13:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=18599"},"modified":"2026-04-17T12:24:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:24:30","slug":"blood-pressure-after-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/blood-pressure-after-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"How exercise affects your blood pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last time you went for a checkup, you were told your blood pressure was elevated and that exercise could help bring it down. But can a sweat sesh on a treadmill or in a spin class\u2014where your heart is beating like crazy\u2014really help lower your blood pressure? Doesn\u2019t all that huffing and puffing indicate your heart is working hard and your blood pressure is actually going up rather than down?<\/span><\/p>\n

It sounds counterintuitive, but your doctor is right: Exercise may lower your blood pressure if it\u2019s high. Because it improves circulation, it may also help raise blood pressure if yours is too low.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, exercise is generally safe for someone with high or low blood pressure,\u201d says <\/span>Jason McKnight, MD<\/span>, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Primary Care and Population Health at <\/span>Texas A&M College of Medicine<\/span> in College Station, Texas. \u201cHowever, if you have either of these conditions, it\u2019s best to speak with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise regimen. For someone with highly elevated and uncontrolled blood pressure, an exercise-related increase in blood pressure could be dangerous. For someone with low blood pressure, the risks and benefits of exercise would depend on the cause of the low blood pressure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What is blood pressure?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Blood pressure is a measure of two things. <\/span>It\u2019s the pressure<\/span><\/a>, or force, inside your artery walls as blood is pumped out from the heart to the rest of the body. It\u2019s also the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. That\u2019s why when your <\/span>blood pressure<\/span><\/a> is measured, you\u2019ll hear two numbers given. For example, you might hear that your blood pressure reading is 110\/70 mmHg (mmHg is millimeters of mercury, which represents how high the mercury in the blood pressure cuff is raised when your blood pressure is taken). This is considered normal blood pressure. Or, you might hear that your blood pressure is 140\/90 mmHg, which is considered high. The top number is called the systolic blood pressure and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Low blood pressure (called hypotension) isn\u2019t considered a significant health problem unless it\u2019s causing symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or fainting. High blood pressure, called hypertension, however, can be a serious condition. Left untreated, it can cause damage to arteries that can lead to heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.<\/span> Nearly half of all adults in this country have high blood pressure<\/span><\/a>, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/span><\/p>\n

How does exercise affect blood pressure?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Like every other muscle in your body, your heart gets stronger when you exercise it. And that, in turn, makes it more efficient at pumping blood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBlood vessels dilate and become less stiff as your heart beats faster and harder,\u201d explains\u00a0 <\/span>Anuj R. Shah, MD<\/span><\/a>, a cardiologist and director of <\/span>Apex Heart and Vascular Care<\/span> in Passaic, New Jersey. \u201cThe vessels stretch and accommodate the excess pressure to keep blood pressure in control. So exercise has a counterbalancing impact. During exercise, the heart pumps harder and blood pressure raises modestly, but the blood vessels become more elastic, which can help\u2014and even prevent\u2014hypertension.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, an exercise program can help improve other health factors, such as obesity and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for high blood pressure. When you carry a lot of extra weight, for example, your heart has to pump extra hard to get blood flow around the body, and that raises pressure inside the artery walls. According to the <\/span>American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery<\/span><\/a>, roughly three out of four cases of hypertension are related to obesity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, it\u2019s important to note that not everyone with hypertension who works out experiences the blood pressure lowering effects of exercise. In one study published in the journal <\/span>Plos One<\/span><\/i><\/a>,<\/span><\/i> roughly 25% of people did not see their blood pressure lowered with exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n

What should my blood pressure be after exercise?<\/span><\/h2>\n

To understand what your blood pressure responses should be after physical activity, you should know what your <\/span>blood pressure is under normal circumstances<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nSystolic<\/b><\/span><\/td>\nDiastolic<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Low<\/span><\/td>\n<90<\/span><\/td>\n<60<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Normal\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<120<\/span><\/td>\n<80<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elevated<\/span><\/td>\n120-129<\/span><\/td>\n<80<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
High (Hypertension Stage 1)<\/span><\/td>\n130-139<\/span><\/td>\n80-89<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
High (Hypertension Stage 2)<\/span><\/td>\n140 or higher<\/span><\/td>\n90 or higher<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Blood pressure goes up during and immediately after exercise, as your heart works hard to get blood pumped to muscles. Usually, you\u2019ll only see a rise in the systolic (upper) number, while the diastolic (bottom) number stays relatively the same or decreases slightly. How high blood pressure increases and how long it stays there is individual, but on average, it should return to normal in just a few minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to measure your blood pressure changes after exercise, you can purchase a blood pressure cuff to use at home. Dr. Shah recommends waiting until your heart rate returns to normal. Your normal heart rate, or pulse, is the number of times the heart beats per minute at rest. Find your pulse (either on your wrist or neck) and count the number of beats for 60 seconds when you first wake up. This is your baseline heart rate. \u201cThe same factors that are driving your heart rate up are also raising your blood pressure,\u201d notes Dr. Shah. \u201cI recommend waiting about five minutes after exercise and then checking your blood pressure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So, how much can exercise actually lower your blood pressure\u2014and for how long? A lot depends on the type of exercise you do (cardiovascular exercise versus using free weights, for example), how long you do it, your exercise intensity, your overall physical condition, and your normal blood pressure at rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>American College of Sports Medicine<\/span><\/a> (ACSM) reports that aerobic exercise\u2014exercise that gets your heart rate up, such as brisk walking, swimming, or biking\u2014can lower blood pressure by 5 to 7 mmHg in those with hypertension. That lower blood pressure occurs shortly after exercise and can last a full 24 hours afterward. This is called post-exercise hypotension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s good evidence to suggest that other forms of exercise, such as resistance training (e.g., lifting hand weights), can also lower blood pressure. One <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> found that this kind of exercise lowered blood pressure by nearly 4 mmHg. But post-exercise reductions in blood pressure are usually temporary unless you consistently exercise. That\u2019s why experts, such as those at the ACSM, recommend you exercise most days of the week if you have hypertension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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