Cycling lowering blood pressure

[JozeeB]

I'm delighted that in a relatively short time (probably 4-5 weeks) cycling has had significant health benefits for me.
Over the last few months I have been having my BP checked by the GP and was getting readings as high as 160/107 but usually around the 150/95 mark. Anyway, I have just completed a week of monitoring it at home with a BP monitor supplied by the doctor and pleased to say that readings have dropped to much healthier levels with the last 2 being 113/69 and 109/75. This has to be a result of the cycling I'm sure and the doctor is no longer considering starting me on BP medication
I think it must be the effect of stress-relief by getting out on the bike and improved general fitness - I had become a bit of a couch potato!! This will definitely keep me motivated to keep on with the cycling!!

 

[Andrew_P]

Out of interest those two low readings were they within a few hours of cycling?

 

[JozeeB]

Out of interest those two low readings were they within a few hours of cycling?

The first one was on a day of no cycling,the second was probably about 3-4 hours after an 8 mile ride.

 

[ColinJ]

Well done - keep it up!

 

[Berties]

Cardio exercise can reduce hypertension in some cases,so well done for taking the effort to do this,
un like with me i exercise massively, cycle hard and run hard swim and squash commute most days very good bmi and have and have to take a couple of tablets to control mine have had every test under the sun no under lying reason other than hereditary ,i only went to hospital to get a tendon stitched and came out with stitches and hypertension and i can say it was really high but now have never felt better!!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Similar to Berties, though without the ''exercise massively'' bit, I decided to change surgery and came out with hypertension - it turns out that only one of my kidneys is getting enough blood and it looks as though it's congenital. ACE inhibitors, Calcium channel antagonists, diuretics for the rest of my life, and they take their toll on my general get-up-and-go levels

. So if you can use cycling to keep the BP down, go for it! I've only managed to get my systolic down by a few points by cycling and certainly not enough to reduce the medication. However, try taking your BP after a good ride - your diastolic will probably be amazingly low. In my case, unfortunately, it's only a short term change.

 

[Willo]

Well done and a great incentive when you see such a tangible return for your efforts. My BP is fine, but did creep up when I suffered from some stress at work a few years back. Since then, exercise (mainly cycling these days) is very important to me in dealing with stress and generally giving me a bit of a mental lift.

 

[JozeeB]

Well done and a great incentive when you see such a tangible return for your efforts. My BP is fine, but did creep up when I suffered from some stress at work a few years back. Since then, exercise (mainly cycling these days) is very important to me in dealing with stress and generally giving me a bit of a mental lift.

Thanks! I think that was really the issue with my BP - I was particularly stressed with work. Cycling is certainly a great way of working off some stress (although I had 2 rants at stupid drivers last night which probably doesn't help!!). I think for me, it is probably a combination of the cardio exercise and the simple stress-relieving benefits of getting some fresh air and enjoyment from cycling that has helped. It is now consistently in the healthy range. This definitely helps me stay motivated to get out as often as I can to maintain a decent level of fitness.

 

[fossyant]

The more you cycle the better it will get, and your resting rate will drop.

 

[skudupnorth]

We did a pulse test during my first aid course at college,the lad i tested who definatly does not do any exersie, was double mine and i am twice his age !!! He actually got worried when my pulse was like a slow tickover compared to his ! Cycling is good in so many ways !

 

[BrumJim]

Well done - keep it up!

Down, surely?

 

[ColinJ]

We did a pulse test during my first aid course at college,the lad i tested who definatly does not do any exersie, was double mine and i am twice his age !!! He actually got worried when my pulse was like a slow tickover compared to his ! Cycling is good in so many ways !

You might not believe it seeing the poor physical state that I am in these days, but a few years ago I was pretty lean and fit (see avatar!). My resting heart rate then was about 34 bpm. At that rate, almost 2 seconds passes between beats which feels a bit disconcerting! Lying in bed on a quiet night I would someimes feel the pulse in my neck going Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) ...

 

[dan_bo]

You might not believe it seeing the poor physical state that I am in these days, but a few years ago I was pretty lean and fit (see avatar!). My resting heart rate then was about 34 bpm. At that rate, almost 2 seconds passes between beats which feels a bit disconcerting! Lying in bed on a quiet night I would someimes feel the pulse in my neck going Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) ...

and these days it's bump (elephant) ba bump (elephant)....Know how you feel bro.

 

[skudupnorth]

You might not believe it seeing the poor physical state that I am in these days, but a few years ago I was pretty lean and fit (see avatar!). My resting heart rate then was about 34 bpm. At that rate, almost 2 seconds passes between beats which feels a bit disconcerting! Lying in bed on a quiet night I would someimes feel the pulse in my neck going Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) Ba-bump (Mississippi Mississippi) ...

Thats what mine does ! Very un-nerving but normal if you are active

 

[skudupnorth]

Not being funny fella's but you are all far fitter than some of the teenagers at my college ! When i say we have ridden x amount of miles for cake most say they could not even cope with 2 miles on a bike.......youngsters eh ? We do better than most ! Now when do we ride for cake again ??????