Exercise has long been one of the go-to natural remedies for high blood pressure. Typically, people with hypertension are told to do cardio…the more, the better.
The problem is that the results are usually modest. You might get a couple of points lower. Some people don’t get any drop at all.
Now, a new study has found an exercise that is far more effective than cardio. It takes only five minutes a day. And you don’t have to jog a single step or lift a single weight. All you have to do is…breathe.[i]
It all started with research at the University of Arizona in 2016. Scientists had sleep apnea patients take 30 breaths a day through an inspiratory muscle trainer (IMT). This is a device used to wean people off ventilators. It makes it more difficult to inhale, strengthening the muscles you use to breathe.[ii]
The device did help relieve apnea. And scientists discovered it had a beneficial side effect. It lowered systolic (the upper number) blood pressure by 12 points.
That’s twice as much of a decrease as most people get from aerobic exercise. And it’s more than most medications provide.
Scientists then performed tests on people without sleep apnea. Again, the patients experienced significant drops in blood pressure. The subjects also performed better on cognitive tests and could exercise longer.
Breathe Your Way to Lower Blood Pressure
Devices like the one used in the study are widely available online. You can find models ranging in price from about $30 to $80 here.
They’re easy to use. Typically, you place the aperture in your mouth and breathe through the device for 30 breaths, twice daily. It forces you to work harder to inhale. You can usually adjust the difficulty level.
Researcher Dr. Daniel Craighead points out that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, the number one cause of death in America. He praises the breathing device as a “great option” to treat hypertension.
Editor’s Note: Discover other natural, nondrug methods to improve your health by reading Independent Healing. It’s your best source for unbiased, evidence-based health information.
Related Articles
Study: The Blueberry Blood Pressure Solution
The Ancient Aztec Secret to Lower Blood Pressure
It Gives You High Blood Pressure…and It’s in Your Medicine Cabinet
[i]https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190408161643.htm
[ii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2465184/