Health

Just 5 minutes of exercise could reduce high blood pressure, study finds

Published

2 months ago

November 8, 2024

Just 5 minutes of exercise could reduce high blood pressure, study finds

Just a few minutes a day could make a big difference in your blood pressure, according to a new study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of Sydney evaluated how small bursts of exercise impacted people’s blood pressure.

A total of 14,761 participants across six countries wore activity trackers while performing short physical tasks, including walking at various speeds, running, cycling or stair climbing, according to a press release from UCL.

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Throughout a 24-hour day, the participants had approximately seven hours of sleep, 10 hours of sedentary behavior (such as sitting), three hours of standing, one hour of slow walking, one hour of fast walking and just 16 minutes of exercise activities, the release stated.

Just a few minutes a day could make a big difference in your blood pressure, according to a new study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association. (iStock)

The researchers then analyzed what happened to blood pressure when a person replaced a less active behavior with five minutes of exercise, finding that it resulted in “clinically meaningful” improvements.

Incorporating just 10 to 20 additional minutes of exercise per day could equate to a 10% reduction in heart disease risk, the release stated.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE COULD GO HAND IN HAND, STUDY FINDS

“Our findings suggest that, for most people, exercise is key to reducing blood pressure, rather than less strenuous forms of movement, such as walking,” Dr. Jo Blodgett, first author of the study from UCL Surgery & Interventional Science and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health, said in the release.

“The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure,” she continued.

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“What’s unique about our exercise variable is that it includes all exercise-like activities, from climbing the stairs to a short cycling errand, many of which can be integrated into daily routines.”

While walking did have some positive effects, the researcher noted, exercises that “put more demand on the cardiovascular system” were shown to be most beneficial for blood pressure.

“When we lead lifestyles our bodies weren’t designed for — such as being sedentary or having constant access to high-calorie foods — our health can suffer.”

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Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is defined as readings that are consistently above 140/90 mmHg.

The first number, systolic blood pressure (SBP), measures the pressure against the artery walls when the heart beats, UCL noted.

The second number, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), measures the pressure against the artery walls while the heart muscle rests between beats.

MAJOR HEALTH ORGANIZATION MAKES STARTLING HEART DISEASE PREDICTION: ‘NEAR-PERFECT STORM’

The condition affects 1.28 billion adults and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, statistics show.

Despite the absence of symptoms, hypertension is a main contributing factor to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney damage and other dangerous conditions.

Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is defined as readings that are consistently above 140/90 mmHg. (iStock)

“Previous research in this area has come from heavily controlled exercise training studies with supervised or prescribed exercise programs,” Professor Mark Hamer, joint senior author of the study from UCL Surgery & Interventional Science and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health, said in the release.

“The difficulty with these types of studies is that although they work to reduce blood pressure, when people finish the program, they usually revert to their sedentary habits.”

“Our study is unique as we observed free-living physical activity performed in everyday life can have benefits that are most likely far more sustainable long-term.”

This study confirms what clinicians and patients have long observed, according to Ian Del Conde Pozzi, M.D., cardiologist at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

The human body functions at its best with daily physical activity, a doctor noted. “One way regular exercise reduces cardiovascular risk, including heart disease and stroke, is by lowering blood pressure and improving metabolic health.” (iStock)

“One way regular exercise reduces cardiovascular risk, including heart disease and stroke, is by lowering blood pressure and improving metabolic health, such as enhancing glucose metabolism and supporting healthy weight management,” Del Conde Pozzi, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

The human body functions at its best with daily physical activity, the doctor noted.

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“When we lead lifestyles our bodies weren’t designed for — such as being sedentary or having constant access to high-calorie foods — our health can suffer,” he said.

Regular exercise helps restore the body to its “natural state,” allowing it to function better and helping to prevent many chronic health conditions.

Despite the absence of symptoms, hypertension is a main contributing factor to heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney damage and other dangerous conditions. (iStock)

Exercise alone may not be enough to resolve hypertension, however.

“While most patients with high blood pressure may not achieve full blood pressure control through exercise alone, some individuals can potentially prevent high blood pressure altogether by adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise,” Del Conde Pozzi said.

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The study was supported by the British Heart Foundation.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Dance eases depression symptoms in Parkinson's patients, new study suggests

Published

5 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Dance eases depression symptoms in Parkinson's patients, new study suggests

Putting a swing in their step could be just the thing to help ease the symptoms of depression in some Parkinson’s patients, a new study suggests.

Patients who took months of dance classes found their depression eased, a small study published recently in the Journal of Medical Internet Research says.

Not only did depression symptoms ease for the Parkinson’s patients, their brain scans displayed changes in their brain areas related to mood, researchers said.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE RISK IS LINKED TO GUT HEALTH, RESEARCHERS SAY

“It was very cool to see that dance had a positive effect on the mood circuits in the brain, which we could see in the imaging,” senior researcher Joseph DeSouza, an associate professor of neuroscience at York University in Toronto, Canada, said in a university news release.

“These improvements that we could see on MRI brain scans were also reported by the participants via survey,” DeSouza said.

A new study followed participants in a dance program who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — as well as healthy people (not pictured). Depression symptoms eased for the participants. (iStock)

“Our study is the first to demonstrate these benefits across these two detection methods,” he also said, as news agency SWNS reported.

The study followed 23 participants in the Sharing Dance Parkinson’s program at Canada’s National Ballet School who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — as well as 11 healthy people, some of whom were relatives of the patients.

The team measured mood and depression scores in all participants.

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Participants took weekly dance classes for eight months, which progressed from simple leg and foot work and pliés to interpretive movements, waltzes and more complicated, choreographed dances, the outlet reported.

‘PENDULUM LIFESTYLE’ COULD BE KEY TO JUGGLING DAILY CHALLENGES

Researchers honed in on a node in the brain, the subcallosal cingulate gyrus (SCG), that has been shown in previous research to be implicated in depression.

The team measured mood and depression scores in all participants using a recognized scale before and after every class, plus they conducted regular MRI scans at York.

Brain scans taken during the study displayed changes in the patients’ brain areas related to mood, according to researchers (not pictured). (iStock)

After each dance class, they found that reported depression rates dropped — and the effect was cumulative from class to class, with “significant” improvements seen after eight months.

The team also found that the MRI scans showed reduced signals in a frontal-cortex brain region associated with emotional regulation and that in a smaller subset of the participants, a significant decrease in depression scores correlated with changes in the SCG node.

WHAT IS ‘BRAIN ROT’? THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHAT TOO MUCH SCROLLING DOES TO OUR BRAINS

Co-author Dr. Karolina Bearss, a professor at Algoma University, Canada, said, “We essentially showed that [the] SCG blood oxygen level–dependent signal decreases while dancing over time.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, the team noted.

An elderly man's hand is trembling because of Parkinson's disease

“People with Parkinson’s disease tend to have multiple symptoms that are not just motor-related.” (iStock)

Before diagnosis, there is a “prodromal” phase that can last for two to 10 years. It’s characterized by low mood, even before other symptoms appear, such as tremors.

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“People with Parkinson’s disease tend to have multiple symptoms that are not just motor-related,” said Bearss. “There are a lot of symptoms that include mental and social well-being impairments — one of those being depression.”

“What we’re trying to do is to have people live a better quality of life.”

The new research builds on the team’s previous three-year study that found that dance training helps Parkinson’s patients with motor control, mood and other functions of daily living.

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Dance is thought to have a double benefit, as music activates the brain’s reward centers and the movement acts on sensory and motor circuits.

Professor DeSouza, who has been dancing with participants in the program for 14 years, said that while dancing is not a treatment for Parkinson’s per se, the benefits are clear, according to the report.

He added, “We’re not trying to cure Parkinson’s with dance. What we’re trying to do is to have people live a better quality of life. This goes for both those with the disease, and their families that take care of them – they also get benefits of feeling better.”

Up to half of all Parkinson’s patients suffer from depression or anxiety at some point, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research notes.

A previous study done at Sydney University found that structured dance (of any genre) is generally as effective as — or even more effective than — other types of physical activity for improving psychological and cognitive outcomes among people with chronic illness as well as healthy people.

Maureen Mackey is managing editor of lifestyle at Fox News Digital.

Health

What is sunset anxiety? Here's how to know if you have late-day distress

Published

13 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

What is sunset anxiety? Here's how to know if you have late-day distress

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Nearly 20% of American adults reported having an anxiety disorder in the past year, data shows — and many are more likely to feel uneasy and anxious as the sun sets.

While “sunset anxiety” isn’t an official medical diagnosis and does not appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), some mental health experts agree that it’s a very real phenomenon.

The symptoms aren’t limited to just anxiety, according to Andrea D. Guastello, PhD, a licensed psychologist at the University of Florida Department of Psychiatry.

ADDING LAUGHTER TO YOUR LIFE CAN BOOST HEALTH AND HEALING, EXPERTS SAY

“It can be any psychiatric symptom that increases in frequency or intensity as the sun goes down or at night,” Guastello told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms may include feelings of depression, isolation and hopelessness that tend to increase at night, the expert said.

What is sunset anxiety, exactly?

Sunset anxiety occurs when a person starts to feel anxious as the sun goes down at the end of the day, Beena Persaud, PsyD, clinical psychologist with Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

“The lack of natural light can cause people to have less energy and motivation, restless discomfort, worry and nervousness about accomplishing tasks,” she said.

GRATEFUL CHILDREN MAKE PARENTS HAPPIER AND LESS STRESSED, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

People who have previously experienced episodes of anxiety and are generally more on the anxious side are more susceptible, Persaud said, as are people who have a heightened sensitivity to light changes and those who consider themselves to be “night owls.”

“Adults are more likely to feel it than teens or children, and this may be due to adults’ sense of responsibility for daily activities,” one expert said. (iStock)

There are no specific gender or racial tendencies for sunset anxiety, the expert noted.

“Adults are more likely to feel it than teens or children, and this may be due to adults’ sense of responsibility for daily activities,” she added.

Common triggers

The onset of sunset anxiety could be related to the circadian rhythm, which is the body’s internal clock that regulates many functions, according to experts. The circadian rhythm is influenced by the production of melatonin, Persaud said.

“We know there can be hormonal changes with winter and daylight saving time,” she told Fox News Digital.

“Since our production of melatonin is easily affected by light, early darkness can cause symptoms of both anxiety and depression. The body believes it should be getting ready for bed because of the darkness.”

“The lack of natural light can cause people to have less energy and motivation, restless discomfort, worry and nervousness about accomplishing tasks.”

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Experts report an increase in seasonal anxiety from October to late March.

“The changing of the seasons and earlier darkness make it a prime time for people to experience both sunset anxiety and seasonal depression,” Persaud said.

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Anxiety can also occur if someone is carrying a heavy mental load of activities and responsibilities and struggling to complete them all by the evening.

“Darkness occurring earlier makes us physically and emotionally tired, and we feel as if the day is ending before we can achieve our daily goals,” said Persaud.

Tips to alleviate sunset anxiety

Guastello at the University of Florida offered the following tips to help curb anxiety around sunset.

If you experience worsening or persistent symptoms of sunset anxiety that don’t improve with the above lifestyle changes, experts recommend consulting with a mental health provider. (iStock)

Set reasonable goals for yourself.

Plan enjoyable activities around the time your anxiety usually kicks up.

Practice good sleep hygiene.

Get sun exposure outdoors and use a sun lamp in times of low light.

Pay attention to your nutrition and get a checkup with your primary care provider if needed.

Get regular exercise to help with low levels of anxiety, but avoid working out within two hours of bedtime.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

If you experience worsening or persistent symptoms of sunset anxiety that don’t improve with the above lifestyle changes, experts recommend consulting with a mental health provider.

Health

'Miracle therapy' could correct heart failure in kids

Published

22 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

'Miracle therapy' could correct heart failure in kids

Fox News’ Health newsletter brings you stories on the latest developments in health care, wellness, diseases, mental health and more.

TOP 3:

– Stem cell therapy could correct heart failure in children, say doctors and specialists at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

– Doctors saved a pregnant woman and her baby after discovering a grapefruit-sized tumor in her chest cavity.

– A second-grade boy saved his friend from choking by doing the Heimlich maneuver in the school cafeteria – and it was caught on camera.

Researchers at MCRI are studying and reprogramming the potential of the blood to treat disease, specifically heart failure in children. (iStock)

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