Just 5 extra minutes of exercise may save you from high blood pressure

Even if you’re not a fan of traditional workouts, the researchers say incidental exercise like taking the stairs or walking briskly to the store can make a big difference.

“What’s unique about our exercise variable is that it includes all exercise-like activities, from running for a bus or a short cycling errand, many of which can be integrated into daily routines,” Blodgett notes.

So, the next time you’re tempted to take the elevator or drive to the corner store, consider squeezing in a quick burst of activity instead. Your heart will thank you.

Paper Summary

Methodology

In this study, researchers gathered data from wearable devices worn on the thigh, capturing 24-hour movement behaviors across six different types: sleep, sedentary activity, standing, slow walking, fast walking, and exercise-like activities (like running or cycling). These devices were worn by participants across six global cohorts over a seven-day period, which helped researchers monitor and categorize each behavior.

Participants’ blood pressure (BP) was also recorded, and adjustments were made for anyone taking BP medication. By analyzing shifts in BP linked to changes in movement, researchers could explore potential benefits of reallocating time from one activity to another. Data was then pooled and standardized to ensure consistency across participants and enable accurate comparisons.

Key Results

The study found that small increases in exercise-like activities—just five additional minutes per day—were associated with lower BP, regardless of the behavior it replaced. Specifically, spending more time exercising or sleeping led to lower BP, while more time spent sedentary was linked to higher BP. For example, a mere 5 minutes of exercise led to a slight reduction in BP (about 0.68 mm Hg systolic and 0.54 mm Hg diastolic).

Larger reassignments of time, like replacing 20 to 27 minutes of other activities with exercise, showed greater BP reductions. Interestingly, sedentary time was notably linked to higher BP, while standing and walking didn’t significantly impact BP, underscoring the strong BP benefits of more vigorous activity.

Study Limitations

This study was cross-sectional, meaning it looked at participants’ data at a single point in time, which limits the ability to make causal claims. Other limitations included potential measurement overlap, as some activities may have been misclassified due to device limitations. The study also lacked data on sleep quality, a factor known to influence BP. Additionally, the cohorts were not very diverse in terms of race and ethnicity, so the findings may not apply universally. Lastly, the study could not differentiate between short bursts and extended periods of exercise, which might affect BP differently.

Discussion & Takeaways

The findings highlight that even small increases in daily exercise can improve BP. This suggests that daily routines with short bouts of vigorous activity can contribute meaningfully to BP management, a potential alternative to traditional structured workouts. While sleep and reduced sedentary time also played roles in BP control, the study underlined the unique value of vigorous movement in daily life. These results reinforce the idea that moving a little more—especially doing exercises like walking briskly or cycling—can be a feasible, impactful approach for BP management across a broad population.

Funding & Disclosures

This project received funding from sources including the British Heart Foundation and the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia. The study also received support for wearable technology development from PAL Technologies and Swedish Research Council grants. One author, Dr. Emmanuel Stamatakis, disclosed paid consultancy work and equity in Complement Theory Inc., a company related to this field. The remaining authors reported no conflicts of interest.

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