High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious medical condition. It causes the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the body to have increased pressure. Blood pressure is measured in two terms: systolic pressure; it is the pressure when the heart beats and diastolic pressure; it is the pressure when the heart rests in between the beats. The format to measure blood pressure is “systolic/diastolic.” Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. Hypertension occurs when readings are higher than this level.
Hypertension can cause various health complications. If a person is suffering from hypertension, their heart has difficulty pumping blood throughout, leading to some organs receiving an insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients. Normally, it is suggested that a person suffering from high blood pressure should exercise. Physical activity helps strengthen the heart and lower blood pressure. People with higher blood pressure should build up their hearts by focusing on moderate and gentle activities.
Some of the low-intensity exercises to prevent hypertension are:
You should avoid physical activity that puts strain on your heart and spikes your heart rate very quickly. These exercises are:
These exercises require a lot of energy and spike the blood pressure. They increase the risk of a stroke, heart attack, or any other serious medical condition.
People who have high blood pressure or hypertension should also avoid activities like SCUBA diving or skydiving.
Skydiving can cause a sudden increase in heart rate because of the adrenaline rush before and during the activity. SCUBA diving can cause a lot of organ damage, which can cause serious damage to people with hypertension as it causes stress to the kidneys and heart. Some organizations ask for a consent letter from the health care provider before letting you join in.
Unless you have an individual training program and consent from a doctor, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or strength training should be avoided by people with hypertension.
It should be kept in mind that having a steady heart rate isn’t enough to be assured that the respective physical activity is safe for you. The medications assigned for hypertension, especially beta blockers, cause the heart rate to be low while your blood pressure might be rising.
To summarize, most people can control their hypertension by exercising, but sometimes, even after exercising, the blood pressure seems to increase. This is a serious concern and a sign to visit a healthcare provider. Get a full body checkup and a suggestion of whether to continue exercising or not.