High blood pressure can be dangerous, but people can take proactive steps to manage it. However, what works for one person might not work for someone else.
Researchers are still working to understand the most effective methods and add-on therapies for controlling blood pressure.
A pilot study recently published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology looked at the effectiveness of yoga as a way to help manage high blood pressure.
High blood pressure can increase someone’s risk for stroke, heart attack, or kidney damage. Dr. Leonard Pianko, cardiologist in Aventura, Florida, who was not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today.
“Hypertension is known as the silent killer because you may experience no symptoms. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke and can potentiate other medical issues such as diabetes and elevated cholesterol.”
There are lifestyle changesTrusted Source people can make to help lower blood pressure. For example, people can strive to maintain a healthy weight and modify their diet to have less sodium and fat.
“There are many medications that have proven to be effective in lowering your blood pressure. But lifestyle changes such as exercise, diet, refraining from smoking, and hydration have also been proven to enhance the effectiveness of the drugs,” Dr. Pianko further noted.
This particular pilot study examined the benefits of yoga in blood pressure management. The study included sixty participants who had hypertension.
Researchers randomly divided participants into two groups. Both groups completed an aerobic exercise program.
Then, one group added fifteen minutes of yoga five days a week. The other group did fifteen minutes worth of stretching five days a week. This intervention lasted three months.
While both groups saw improvement in resting blood pressure and heart rate, the group that did yoga saw a more significant improvement in blood pressure, heart rate, and Reynolds risk scores.
The results indicate that yoga could likely be an effective add-on intervention to help improve blood pressure levels.
