Does running lower blood pressure? A calm guide

What running does to blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries. It is written as two numbers: systolic pressure, when your heart beats, and diastolic pressure, between beats. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, often has no symptoms, which is why it is usually found by a check-up.

Running is aerobic activity, meaning steady activity where your body uses oxygen to keep going. During a run your blood pressure rises naturally — that is normal. The benefit comes from regular training over weeks and months, which can make your heart pump more efficiently and your blood vessels more flexible, helping to lower resting blood pressure.

How much running helps

NHS physical activity guidance for adults is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, plus strength work on two days. Moderate means you are breathing harder but can still talk. Running counts, and you can split it into shorter bouts rather than doing it all at once.

You do not need to chase speed. If you are starting from nothing, run/walk is a sensible way in: a minute of easy running, a minute of walking, repeated. Our guide to how to start running for beginners walks through a calm first month.

• Most of your running should feel easy and conversational.
• Two short strength sessions a week support your legs and joints; see strength training for runners.
• Consistency matters more than heroic sessions. A repeatable 20 minutes beats an exhausting hour you dread.

How hard should it feel?

Aim for easy running you could hold a conversation through. If you can only manage a word or two, you are going too hard for a base-building run. Our guide to how slow easy runs should be explains the pace in plain words.

Harder running can be part of a healthy routine, but it is not required to get blood-pressure benefits. If you often get out of breath, slow down or add walking breaks. The best running for blood pressure is the running you can repeat next week.

Starting safely when your blood pressure is high

If you have high blood pressure, take medication for it, or have another health condition, ask your GP or practice nurse before starting a new running plan. Do not stop or change medication yourself. A single reading is not the whole story, so keep checks going as your GP advises.

If your blood pressure is much higher than usual, or you feel unwell, do not exercise that day. Stop and seek medical advice if you get chest pain, dizziness, fainting or unusual breathlessness. Running is one helpful lever, not a substitute for medical care.