Category: Blog

Getting the blood flowing: exercise and blood pressure

As we all know, exercise provides us with many health benefits. These benefits include physical, physiological, psychological, social, and even environmental aspects. While exercise may make us feel and look better on the outside, important changes take place on the inside as well, which can have significant impacts on our health down the road.
During a single bout of exercise, the demand for blood flow to working muscles is increased. This increased demand is accommodated by the vasodilation (opening) of the blood vessels that directly supply our muscles with blood, oxygen and nutrients. The ability of a person’s blood vessels to dilate is a sign of good vascular health, and can serve to lower blood pressure, by allowing for a greater distribution of blood throughout the body.

Blood pressure is measured internally by specialized organelles located at specific points within the body, called baroreceptors. Baroreceptors are able to signal the body to respond to a high or low blood pressure, with the goal of bringing the blood pressure back within normal ranges. In persons suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure), the baroreceptors are continuously sensing high blood pressure, and become desensitized to it. Therefore, no signal is sent to the rest of the body to correct the high blood pressure.

When persons with hypertension begin exercising, the vasodilation of blood vessels feeding the working muscles is induced, causing a drop in blood pressure. This drop in blood pressure can allow for the “resetting” of the body’s baroreceptors. This means that the baroreceptors will once again be able to sense high blood pressure, and signal the body to correct it. Therefore, hypertensive individuals will greatly benefit from exercise! Exercise can reduce a hypertensive patient’s reliance on medications, and can enhance overall health and longevity, by facilitating a natural decrease in blood pressure. The benefits of exercise extend far beyond strength and endurance; so get active for better health!
Stay strong YYC!!