A good stretch can help alleviate everything from post-workout muscle tightness to after-work stress. And according to new research, stretching may also help keep your blood pressure in check. A December 2020 study in the
Journal of Physical Activity and Health compared the effects of 30 minutes of daily stretching versus 30 minutes of daily walking, five days a week for eight weeks. The researchers found that stretching had a greater impact on lowering blood pressure than walking in people with normal-to-high levels or stage 1 hypertension.
“If people want to lower their blood pressure, they should probably incorporate some stretching into their exercise routine,” says Philip Chilibeck, Ph.D., study author and professor of kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. That is not to say that you should give up your regular forms of aerobic exercise like walking or biking. But when combined with these workouts, stretching can do more than just make you feel good—it can also help keep your heart healthy.