Yoga And Hypertension: Can 15 Minutes Of Yoga Control Blood Pressure?

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High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. So, when your blood pressure consistently exceeds the norm, you may be diagnosed with having high blood pressure levels.

Hypertension may cause early morning headaches, nosebleeds, irregular heart rhythms, vision changes, and buzzing in the ears. Severe hypertension may also result in fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, anxiety, and chest pain [1].

A heart-healthy diet with less salt, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight, and limiting alcohol consumption are some of the primary measures for managing hypertension.

Hypertension is usually treated with three main classes of medications: Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs), Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACE-Is), and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs).

In a recent study, where researchers explored the link between yoga and hypertension, it was pointed out that yoga may be more beneficial for controlling blood pressure than other stretching techniques [2].

Yoga And Hypertension: Can 15 Minutes Of Yoga Control Blood Pressure?

Here are the important points from the study:

Point 1: Recently, a pilot study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology examined the effectiveness of yoga as a means of managing high blood pressure. During this study, sixty hypertensive participants participated to examine the effectiveness of yoga for blood pressure management.

Point 2: Participants were randomly divided into two groups by researchers. Following an aerobic exercise program, both groups were instructed to do fifteen minutes of yoga five days per week and fifteen minutes of stretching five days per week. This intervention lasted three months.

Point 3: There was an improvement in resting blood pressure and heart rate in both groups, but there was a greater improvement in blood pressure, heart rate, and Reynolds risk scores in the yoga group [3].

Point 4: Using a Reynold risk score, researchers were able to measure cardiovascular disease and adverse heart outcomes.

Note: The Reynolds Risk Score is determined by age, gender, total cholesterol, HDL-c, smoking status, hsCRP level, and family history of heart attacks in the patient's parents before the age of 60.

Point 5: The results of this study indicate that yoga may be an effective addition to existing treatments for improving blood pressure.

Point 6: According to the study authors, there are a number of possible explanations as to why yoga makes a difference in health. It may decrease the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, decrease cortisol levels, and promote vasodilation - all of which are beneficial in managing high blood pressure [4][5].

On A Final Note...

The benefits of transcendental meditation, tai chi, and other forms of mind-body exercise have been studied extensively. The study focuses on yoga and is a good example of how our minds play a significant role in our physical health and how these techniques should be incorporated into our recommendations for lifestyle modification [6].

In spite of its limitations, the study provides more evidence regarding the health benefits of yoga and opens the door to future research in this field.