Add this five-minute habit to your New Year’s Resolution list

Let me ask you something…

Do you worry about your blood pressure (BP)?

If you don’t, you should. After all, high BP (hypertension) is one of the world’s leading health problems—especially when left unchecked.

And let’s not forget the risks of increasing your antihypertensive medication dosage or adding yet another drug to your regimen when your numbers remain too high.

Of course, as a loyal reader, you know there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make to support your heart health and maintain healthier BP.

But new research suggests adopting a simple, five-minute habit in the new year could be particularly powerful.

Small habit, big heart benefits

Researchers analyzed health data from nearly 15,000 volunteers across five countries to see how just five minutes of movement could influence BP.

Participants wore accelerometer devices on their thighs to track their activity and BP throughout the day and night.

Daily activity was categorized into sleep, sedentary behavior, slow walking, fast walking, standing, and more vigorous exercise (like running, cycling, or stair climbing).

And they found that just five minutes of more intensive physical activity—like stair climbing or walking uphill—each day can lead to meaningful BP improvements.

But get this…

Replacing sedentary time with 20-27 minutes of daily exercise resulted in clinically significant reductions in BP. In fact, this healthy habit could reduce your risk of heart disease by 28 percent!

So, if you already follow my advice to move your body for 20-30 minutes daily… take it a step further. Commit to just five extra minutes of higher intensity movement for even more robust heart-health benefits.

We all have to start somewhere

Hypertension is called the “silent killer” for a reason—it often has no symptoms. But make no mistake, it’s deadly.

In fact, high BP remains a leading cause of early death worldwide, affecting billions of adults. Left uncontrolled, it can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, and more.

The good news is, any type of movement is good medicine. So, hear me when I say that whatever your physical ability allows you to do… is good enough.

Don’t think that because you can’t sprint up the subway stairs or run a marathon that you can’t naturally support healthier BP. We all have to start somewhere, even if it’s with plain ole’ walking.

I highly encourage you to commit to just five minutes of physical activity each day. Then, try to work up to 20-30 minutes daily (or as often as possible). I promise it will feel good for your body and soul.

For additional ways to naturally prevent and reverse our nation’s biggest killers, including high BP, check out my Ultimate Heart-Protection Protocol.

Source:

“Five minutes of extra exercise a day could lower blood pressure.” ScienceDaily, 11/06/2024. (sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241106190302.htm)