Hypertension—high blood pressure—is a major global health issue affecting more than 1 billion people and contributing to millions of deaths each year. Although robust evidence indicates that structured exercise lowers blood pressure, the effects of daily activity patterns in real-life settings on blood pressure are less clear. A recent study found that spending as little as five minutes daily engaging in exercise-like activities like running to catch a bus or climbing stairs can meaningfully reduce blood pressure.

Researchers used data from thigh-worn accelerometers and blood pressure measurements from more than 14,700 adults in the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium. They analyzed participants' daily activities, including sleep, sedentary time, standing, and different intensities of walking and exercise-like activities, while considering other relevant health factors.

They found that more time spent exercising was linked to lower blood pressure, with even a five-minute increase in exercise driving systolic and diastolic blood pressure reductions of 0.68 mmHg and 0.54 mmHg, respectively. However, increasing exercise-like activities by 20 to 27 minutes decreased systolic blood pressure by 2 mmHg and diastolic by 1 mmHg (considered clinically significant), potentially reducing the global prevalence of cardiovascular disease by as much as 28%.

These findings suggest that small, achievable increases in daily exercise can help manage blood pressure effectively. Brief periods of exercise throughout one’s day—often called “exercise snacks"—also help maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Learn more in this clip featuring Dr. Martin Gibabla.