Study Shows You Need 5 Hours of Weekly Exercise to Keep Blood Pressure in Check Long-Term
A major 30-year US study (CARDIA, tracking over 5,000 people from young adulthood to age 60) found that the standard advice of 2.5 hours (150 minutes) of moderate exercise per week isn't enough to properly protect against high blood pressure later in life.
Instead, aiming for about 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate activity – like brisk walking, cycling or swimming – in your 20s and keeping it up through middle age cuts your risk by around 18% compared to doing less.
Activity often drops sharply after your early 20s due to work, family and life pressures, but maintaining higher levels makes a real difference for healthy blood pressure in your later years.
Social factors hit some groups harder (e.g. higher hypertension rates among Black participants), making it tougher to stay active.
Bottom line: Double the usual minimum guideline and stick with it over decades for better protection – start building the habit now, even gradually.