Using breathing techniques for 5 to 10 minutes a day might help lower blood pressure, according to a study completed at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the University of Arizona.
Research on Breathing Exercise
In their study, researchers instructed participants to complete breathing exercises for 5 to 10 minutes daily using a breathing device. The participants were told to take 30 breaths as the machine provided resistance, so their respiratory muscles worked harder. The trial lasted six weeks.
Within two weeks of using the device, the researchers said they noticed improvements in blood pressure. The only side effects noted were temporary sore muscles and lightheadedness.
By the end of the six weeks, participants had an average decrease of 9mmHg in systolic blood pressure.
“A nine-point decrease in systolic blood pressure is tremendous,” Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, a cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California, told Healthline. “While we have long known that deep breathing exercises can contribute to lowering blood pressure, it is surprising to learn of such a vigorous effect when adding resistance.”
Researchers said the results were as effective as taking blood pressure medication and possibly more effective than lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or reducing salt in your diet.
“As a reference, exercising is expected to reduce systolic blood pressure by approximately 5 to 8 mmHg,” explained Dr. Jim Liu, a cardiologist and clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “Sticking to a heart-healthy diet can decrease it by approximately 11 mmHg.”
“Hypertension is classified into different stages, with stage 1 including systolic between 130 to 139 mmHg and stage 2 including [greater than] 140 mmHg systolic,” Liu told Healthline. “Treatment differs depending on the stage. Therefore, a decrease in 9 mmHg may be the difference between having to take versus not taking blood pressure medications.”