For Lower Blood Pressure, Take The Stairs
A new study suggests that even small amounts of physical activity — such as uphill walking or stair-climbing — may help reduce blood pressure. Researchers from the ProPASS Consortium examined data from 14,761 participants across five countries who wore trackers to measure their physical activity and its impact on blood pressure. They found that just five minutes of high-intensity activity daily was associated with lower blood pressure — and replacing 20 to 27 minutes of sedentary behavior with exercise appeared to significantly reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
Vigorous activities like running, cycling, or climbing stairs were found to be most effective, although even walking showed some benefits. The researchers say that integrating short bouts of higher-intensity movement into daily routines can have meaningful positive health benefits, particularly in managing hypertension.
