It is an accepted fact that appropriate exercise directly lowers the blood pressure of those with hypertension.

After each exercise session, Post Exercise Blood Pressure is 10 - 30 mmHg (or even more) lower than before the exercise took place, and it stays lowered for up to 8 hours. This is because the body's blood vessels become more dilated and flexible which allows easier passage of blood through them, and also the blood viscosity is reduced, i.e. the blood becomes more 'watery' or 'less syrupy' in consistency and flows faster through the blood vessels.

Another long-term benefit of regular appropriate exercise is that the heart becomes stronger and more efficient; this is emphasized by a reduction in body pulse rate at rest. It may well beat steadily and happily below 60 beats per minute instead of 70 - 80 beats per minute at rest.

Because maintaining Ideal Body Weight is another lifestyle necessity for reducing high blood pressure, there are two significant physiological benefits yielded by exercising which cannot be ignored.

First of all, after each exercise session, the body metabolism increases and stays increased for up to 15 hours after exercise ended. This makes exercise work hand in hand with restricted calorie weight loss diets of about 1200 calories for women and 1500 calories for men. This is important because sustained reduction in calorie intake makes the body naturally try to preserve energy as a guard against starvation, so metabolism is reduced. Exercise counteracts this slowed metabolism.

Secondly regular exercise makes the body lose slow metabolising body fat more quickly, and gains muscle tissue (that metabolises more quickly) which again favours maintenance of Ideal Body Weight or any weight loss programs.

So, what is this appropriate exercise?

Well, in short it is daily Aerobic activity that lasts 30 - 40 minutes at an intensity approved by one's doctor.

Aerobic activities are those, which can be sustained for more than a few minutes, thus making the body emphasize on providing oxygen for energy utilisation. Such exercise works out major muscle groups like the arms or the legs, and because it causes the heart to beat faster, also works out the cardiovascular system. With one's doctor overseeing an exercise regime, one should receive good advise on how to gradually build up to the right exercise intensity and duration that is safe to do.

Of course aerobic exercise also includes activities like, playing tennis, brisk walking, brisk wheel chairing, rowing, cycling, continuous swimming, or cross-country skiing. In fact the range of activities is so wide that it should be relatively easy to find one or two that anyone can get used to and learn to enjoy doing on a daily basis. Better still, find a friend that will also part take.

Just a few words of caution.

If jogging (or any activity that impacts on the legs and knees) is opted for, then suitable footwear must be worn. There are countless sneakers made specifically for running that will suffice.

It is important that one indulges in body stretching exercises for about 10 minutes before and after the main aerobic activity in order to reduce the risk of leg, back and muscle injuries.

Finally, one should resist the temptation of comparing one's progress with anyone else's. We are all unique, and have varying abilities and strengths that makes us respond at different rates to any given activity.

It may be difficult enough just to overcome the psychological inertia to begin and discipline one's self to maintaining an exercise regime, so any added psychological burdens such as "not being able to keep pace" with someone else or "not as fit" as another, may well become the push down the slope of quitting the exercise. So only compare your progress with your own.

Remember the objective is to develop permanent lifestyle change that is conducive to lower high blood pressure; so be patient but persistent with exercise and one's progress will be assured.