Popular relaxation exercises including yoga, tai chi, medication and breathing control techniques may help to lower blood pressure, a study suggests. Around 14.4 million people in the UK are through to suffer from high blood pressure, which can increase risk of serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease. The condition is sometimes dubbed the “silent killer” as it often has no symptoms.
The study looked at results from 54 previous studies on blood pressure and relaxation techniques. It found most appeared to have a beneficial effect, Compared with people doing nothing, having their usual care or being on a waiting list for treatment, moderate reductions in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) were found for breathing control (typically −6.65 mm Hg), meditation (−7.71 mm Hg) and meditative movement including tai chi and yoga (−9.58 mm Hg).
Benefits were also seen for mindfulness (−9.90 mm Hg), music (−6.61 mm Hg) and progressive muscle relaxation (−7.46 mm Hg).
Reductions were also seen for diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number), the researchers said.
The experts from the universities of Exeter and Bristol noted that few of the studies followed patients for more than three months and further research was needed to investigate the long-term effects.
Writing in the journal BMJ Medicine, the team concluded: “The results of our study indicated that many relaxation interventions show promise for reducing blood pressure in the short term but the longer term effects are unclear.
“Future studies in this area should include adequate follow-up to establish whether the effects on blood pressure persist over time, both while the relaxation interventions are ongoing and after they have been completed.”
Emily McGrath, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said current guidelines recommended mindful strengthening exercises like yoga or pilates, “which can form part of an enjoyable exercise regime that people may find easier to stick to”.
She added: “In the short term, simple breathing exercises could help reduce stress levels by slowing the breathing rate, helping you breathe deeper and helping to lower the production of cortisol.
“However, more research is needed to conclusively understand this link and whether relaxation exercises have any impact on reducing blood pressure long term.”
Regular exercise is key to maintaining lower blood pressure, Ms McGrath said.
“There are other lifestyle changes as well as exercise that can benefit your blood pressure,” she added.
“These include keeping to a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, cutting down on salt, not drinking too much alcohol and ensuring that you continue to take any prescribed medication.”