Short, vigorous activity may significantly reduce cardiovascular risks, new study finds.
Just five minutes of physical activity daily could lead to meaningful reductions in blood pressure, according to new research.
Findings show that as little as five minutes of high-intensity activity — including stair climbing or uphill walking — can lower blood pressure while replacing sedentary behaviors with 20-27 minutes daily exercise offers even more significant benefits. This could reduce cardiovascular disease risks by up to 28% in the population, indicating that brief, vigorous movements may effectively combat hypertension.
The study, published in Circulation by the ProPASS Consortium, was led by the University of Sydney and University College London and involved over 14,000 participants across five countries. Researchers tracked daily activity and blood pressure using wearable devices, modeling the effects of swapping sedentary behavior with active movement.
Joint study authors noted that these findings present an accessible method to address high blood pressure and reduce the risks of heart disease and other complications. “A few minutes of daily exercise can yield substantial benefits for blood pressure control, making it a practical option for most,” commented the research team.
“As naturopathic doctors, we are the leaders in integrative and preventive healthcare. Naturopathic doctors use a combination of both dietary and lifestyle interventions to address our patients’ health concerns. Most people are aware that exercise is important for overall health, and yet many struggle with finding the time and the motivation to incorporate exercise as part of their daily life. This study fits nicely with the growing trend of ‘exercise snacks’ – short bouts of movement from which health benefits can be gleaned. The study illustrates that the addition of only 5 minutes of exercise-like behaviour, which could be walking on an incline, cycling or running, confers a positive effect on reducing blood pressure. While the study also demonstrated that longer bouts of exercise (10-27 minutes) yielded greater effects on reducing both diastolic and systolic blood pressures, a minimal dose of 5 minutes daily moderate intensity movement can improve cardiovascular health.” Dr. Colleen Hartwick, ND, BA | Campbell River Naturopathic
See Also:
Breathing Exercises Lower Blood Pressure as Good as Meds
Reference:
Blodgett J, Stamatakis E, Hamer M, et al. Device-measured 24-hour movement behaviors and blood pressure: a six-part compositional individual participant data analysis in the ProPASS Consortium. Circulation. 2024;[volume and page numbers if available].
