Can’t Take a 40’ Walk? Four 10’ Walks May Be Even Better

Are you having problems finding the time to take your necessary exercise – out walking or at the gym? Professor Wallace of Indiana University reports that 3 or 4 short brisk walks can be more helpful for people watching their blood pressure than the recommended 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week regimen.

Young people with prehypertension (BP 120-139/80-89 mmHg) but otherwise healthy had their blood pressure measured for 12 hours after accumulated activity (four 10’ brisk walks) or continuous activity (a single 40’ walk). On another day, they repeated their participation, but undertaking the alternative activity (i.e. a cross-over design study). On average, the systolic blood pressure was reduced for 11 hours after the accumulated activity and for 7 hours after the continuous activity.

This suggests that you can divide your day’s prescribed activity into three or four sessions without any loss of benefit – in fact, you will get prolonged benefit from the intermittent sessions. Of course, this doesn’t apply if you reward yourself after each session with a coffee and doughnut.