Posted on 04/24/2023 7:01:16 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A new study of elderly patients showed that those who exercised in the evening experienced a greater decrease in blood pressure compared to those who exercised in the morning. The work also revealed the neurovascular mechanisms responsible for these findings.
"Elderly patients or those with resistant hypertension or obesity don't always experience as much blood pressure benefit from exercise as other groups," said Leandro Brito, Ph.D. "For these patients, finding a more beneficial time to exercise may reduce their need for medication or help it work better."
The study, which was conducted when Brito was a postdoctoral trainee at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, included 23 older adults with hypertension, all of whom were taking prescribed blood pressure medication for at least four months. The participants exercised three times a week for 10 weeks by cycling on a stationary bike. One group exercised only between 7 and 10 a.m. and the other group only exercised between 5 and 8 p.m.
The researchers found that although diastolic blood pressure decreased similarly in both groups, systolic blood pressure only decreased after evening exercise. The investigators also measured the autonomic functions—nervous system functions that regulate involuntary physiologic processes—that control blood pressure in each group. The results showed that an improvement in the neural responses to changes in blood pressure—known as the arterial tonus—was responsible for the greater blood pressure benefit from evening exercise.
"Although any exercise is always better than no exercise, people who need to achieve faster regularization of blood pressure or who don't see benefits from exercise might want to try working out in the evening," Brito said. "These findings replicate what we found in a previous study of middle-aged men with hypertension on blood pressure medicine, but now we understand the neural mechanisms that contribute."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Remove carbs/sugar from diet.
Sugar does more to raise BP than does salt.
YMMV.
I do my exercise after 8pm coz the gym is usually empty, which I liked during when covid was active. And I like to play fairly loud music during treadmill. The gym is for use only by residents of my sub-division. I go there 4 days every week. Blood pressure and heart are doing good at age 83.
I’d love some evening exercise, but the ladies won’t cooperate.
Be sure to count the steps to the bar and the energy it takes to shake, not stir, a great cocktail!
Every time I get the urge to get out and do something, I lay down until the feeling passes.
I like to spend as much time outdoors hiking as possible rather than the gym. I just got back from hiking to some mining ghost towns in the San Jose, CA area. Did 6 miles and 1,200 feet up the mountains. With such a wet winter, the wildflower bloom is spectacular. Lots of California poppies all over the place today in full bloom.
I've really ramped up my vigorous hiking and need to dial back my BP meds.
Keep in mind you never want to injure any body parts if over 50 age. Healing takes longer. My BP is affected by salt intake more than any factor. In Florida summers there is lot of sweating and my BP is lower than in winters. I take 10mg Lisinopril for insurance, but so long as I am doing REGULAR exercise I may not even need it. Heart attack will be rare with regular exercise.
“Keep in mind you never want to injure any body parts if over 50 age. Healing takes longer.”
That’s why I gave up skiing and bicycling. Too much danger and I worry about broken bones and healing at 72. The hiking is vigorous, but lots of rocky trails are a challenge.
That’s impressive you only take 10 mg Lisinopril! And maybe not even need that. Well done, sir!
But I miss down hill skiing !!
Enjoyed that sport from age 38 through 52.
Won 3 NASTAR medals. Mostly upper Michigan and northern Wisconsin. Then golf took over my life.
Very interesting...
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