According to Blood Pressure UK, roughly 16 million people in the United Kingdom currently struggle with high blood pressure. This is alarming as they also report that individuals “with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke and twice as likely to die from these as people with normal blood pressure.” So, what can you do to help lower your blood pressure, thereby lowering your risk of premature death? Card exercise.

Cardiovascular exercise helps your heart becomes stronger, which means that it won’t work as hard to circulate your blood throughout your body. This lowers your blood pressure to a healthier level and can provide positive results within 1 to 3 months of beginning a regular exercise regimen.

Some of the best cardio exercises for lowering your blood pressure and improving your heart health include:

• Walking
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Climbing stairs
• Playing sports
• Dancing

Essentially, you want to find something that you enjoy so that you continue to do it often, getting the most benefits for your body. Everyday activities such as cleaning house and doing yardwork are beneficial as well, as long as they get your heart rate up and increase your breathing, so feel free to do these types of movements and lower your blood pressure while also crossing items off your to-do list.

Ideally, you want to do some type of cardiovascular activity for 30 minutes most days of the week. And if you’re not used to being active and live a fairly sedentary life right now, it is highly recommended that you discuss this with your doctor first so that he or she can help guide you to greater heart health in a safe and effective manner.

What cardiovascular activities do you enjoy to get your heart beating faster?