When you go to your yearly check-up at the doctor’s office and find out you have high blood pressure, you might feel concerned. High blood pressure can cause an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, eye problems and even dementia, among other health concerns.
The good news is? Working to lower your blood pressure doesn’t have to be some huge, life-changing, time-consuming feat. In fact, according to a 2023 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, one short bout of exercise can lead to changes in months, and cardiologists back this up. The exercise in question: wall sits.
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Sounds pretty random, right? Parade asked cardiologists to explain how it works—and their answers were fascinating. “Holding a wall sit isometrically squeezes the big thigh muscle without joint movement,” says Dr. Adedapo Adeyinka Iluyomade, MD, a preventive cardiologist with Baptist Health South Florida. (“Isometrics” are exercises that constrict a particular muscle.) “That brief ‘muscle-clamp’ temporarily narrows blood flow, then triggers a rebound widening of the arteries and, over weeks, trains blood vessels to stay more relaxed at rest.”
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Want to understand further what’s going on behind the scenes? Dr. Nishant Kalra, MD, an interventional cardiologist and regional chief medical officer at VitalSolution, says the physiological mechanisms underlying those effects include improved autonomic regulation (aka increased parasympathetic and reduced sympathetic activity), reductions in resting heart rate and decreased total peripheral resistance. In other words—and on a very basic level—it relaxes your body, in a way.
Doing wall sits to lower your blood pressure is a pretty effective option, too, when you look at the numbers. According to the study, doing wall sits (for as long and as often as suggested, which we’ll get into below) can lower the systolic number (the first number) by eight and the diastolic number (the second number) by four.
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How Long and How Frequent Should Wall Sit Sessions Be?
The study looked at meta-analysis research and clinical guidelines to determine the sweet spot for how long the wall sit “should” be. The result: two minutes, or 120-second holds. Dr. Iluyomade explains this length is long enough to work, but short enough to avoid heart rate spikes and knee strains. “Longer durations may increase discomfort and reduce motivation, potentially impairing adherence and performance,” Dr. Kalra adds.The study suggests doing four of those two-minute holds with equal rest in between. If that sounds too daunting, that’s okay—do what you can. “If you’re not there yet, build up with shorter holds, but the eventual goal is four full rounds of two minutes each,” Dr. Iluyomade explains.As far as frequency goes, the recommendation is three sessions a week for four to twelve weeks. Then, you can go down to one to two sessions a week. Just keep going. “Long-term adherence is crucial for sustained blood pressure control, as discontinuation leads to reversal of benefits,” Dr. Kalra says.
Of course, wall sits alone won’t cure high blood pressure concerns. The cardiologists also recommend the following:
150 minutes of brisk walking or cycling a weekRegular aerobic and dynamic resistance exerciseEating lots of produce, potassium-rich foods and not too many high-sodium foodsGetting seven hours of quality sleepLimiting alcoholPracticing stress-relieving habits, such as box breathing and mindfulnessIf necessary, taking medication and blood pressure checks at homeRelated: This Arm Position Gives the Most Accurate Blood Pressure Reading, New Study Finds
When it comes to lowering your blood pressure, the steps you need to take are similar to the ones you would take for other health concerns: Add nutritious food into your diet, exercise, reduce stress levels, get enough sleep and the list goes on. But if you’re looking for one, quick movement that leads to results and is backed by both cardiologists and research, may we suggest a few wall-sit sessions?
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Sources
Dr. Adedapo Adeyinka Iluyomade, MD, a preventive cardiologistDr. Nishant Kalra, MD, an interventional cardiologistHigh blood pressure (hypertension), Mayo ClinicExercise training and resting blood pressure: a large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, British Journal of Sports MedicineHence then, the article about cardiologists swear by this 2 minute exercise for lowering blood pressure was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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