Exercise/Working Out

March 1, 2025

Add 5 minutes of movement

Illustration of a sneaker with one straight lace, and one loopy and wavy lace.

Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios

Just five extra minutes of exercise can help lower blood pressure, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Why it matters: Scores of studies that look at the impact of various amounts of exercise come to the same general conclusion: Making even what we'd consider to be a small change can make a big difference in our overall health.

? The big picture: Some 1.3 billion adults around the world deal with high blood pressure — called "the silent killer" for its lack of symptoms, The Washington Post's Vivian Ho reports.

But movement, even in small doses, can help.

Zoom in: Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Researchers found that adding five minutes of exercise per day can lower the top number by 0.68 mm Hg and the bottom number by 0.54 mm Hg.

? The money quote: "It's a relatively small amount, but any difference helps," Joanna Blodgett, the study's lead author, told the Post.

"Instead of thinking, 'I need to go from zero to 60 minutes,' you can start small. Then when you get comfortable with that, you can increase the intensity over time."

Zoom out: There's plenty more research supporting the benefits of small chunks of exercises.

Just 15 minutes of vigorous exercise per week was associated with an 18% lower risk of premature death, according to a seven-year study of tens of thousands of older adults.
As we've reported, a 15-minute, moderate walk after meals can help you digest your food and avoid blood sugar spikes.

? The bottom line: Even the tiniest burst of movement is worthy of your time.