Just five extra minutes of exercise a day could lower blood pressure, new study finds

A study led by University College London and the University of Sydney suggests that just five extra minutes of exercise a day can help lower blood pressure.

The research, published in the journal Circulation and supported by the British Heart Foundation, tracked 15,000 participants using activity trackers. It found that brief bursts of exercise, such as climbing stairs or cycling, can significantly improve both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Even small increases in physical activity, such as adding five minutes of exercise daily, were linked to a 0.68 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and 0.54 mmHg in diastolic pressure.

Experts say this modest reduction can lower the risk of heart disease by up to 10%, emphasizing that these short, vigorous activities can be easily incorporated into daily life and offer an accessible way to combat high blood pressure, a leading global health issue.