Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Reduction
Don’t be so concerned about your weight
Everybody knows that weight can be a factor in a lot of different health problems and if you are overweight, then losing a bit will likely help out. The good news for those with high blood pressure and a racing heart rate, we can usually get them down with some exercise and without the worry and pressure of losing weight.
Heart rate is one of those measures that the doctor takes and never really gives us any indication of whether our result is good or not. There is a cause-and-effect relationship between heart rate and cardiovascular disease. So heart rate can be a simple yet important measure to assist in the early detection of potential heart disease. The best part is, you don’t need to concern yourself with weight loss (but you will likely lose a little anyway) when working on getting your heart rate down a bit. Blood pressure is much the same. If you have a high blood pressure it is also said to raise the risk of cardiovascular disease due to the increased stress on the heart and potential damage and degradation that stress can cause.
The mechanism by which the blood pressure and heart rate are lowered independent of BMI and fat reduction is said to be because of enhanced parasympathetic nervous system activity. A more effective parasympathetic nervous system means that the body is able to respond to stimuli and regulate its systems more efficiently and effectively as a result of being fitter. Regular exercise also assists in improving vascular function that will also result in a net reduction in stress and improved efficiency for the cardiovascular system and result in lower blood pressure and a lower heart, ultimately lowering the risk of future cardiovascular problems.
One effective way to lower your blood pressure and progressively lower your heart rate is with aerobic activity. THe science tells us that aquatic activity such as swimming, water aerobics, and deep water running are some of the better options. If you are not too keen on getting into the water then running and walking regularly, cycling, hiking and basically anything that gets you puffing a little can have a positive impact. Even yoga, stretching and some weights can have a positive impact on blood pressure and heart rate. Occasionally it will be useful to have a go at increasing intensity a little. Every third or fourth session challenge yourself to positively stress your cardiovascular system. The small positive stress allows your body to find a new normal and adapt the physiological systems to be more efficient and prevent future disease.
Keep the heart ticking.
