Light exercise can lower blood pressure more effectively than heavy exercise
Many people never get the benefits of exercise because they have a misguided idea about what they need to do. They believe the old "no pain, no gain" mantra and never start getting fit because they are either afraid of the effort or don’t have the hour a day that they think it requires.
But light exercise is not only better for most people, it is also more effective to lower blood pressure. Just 15 minutes to a half hour of leisurely walking, gardening, dancing or many other casual activities will lower blood pressure more than an hour of running.
Heavy exercise puts severe stress on the body and blood pressure has to actually increase to meet the demands. It’s true that aerobic exercise such as running will eventually benefit blood pressure but it’s a risky way to start out. And anaerobic exercise requiring extreme bursts of strength, such as weightlifting, can be downright dangerous for those with high blood pressure and should be avoided.