Getting regular exercise is a great way to control your blood pressure. And your workouts don’t have to be long or intense. Many experts say 30 minutes of physical activity is enough to make a difference, and they recommend moderate aerobic exercise, like walking, cycling, swimming, and jogging—activities that increase your heart rate, make you breathe faster, and get your blood flowing.
But if finding time to fit in that recommended 30 minutes a day has proved challenging, you’re not out of luck. In fact, some experts have found that bouts of exercise spread throughout the day may be more beneficial than a full 30-minute workout when it comes to controlling your blood pressure.
In one study, researchers from Arizona State University found that taking three 10-minute walks a day was better for regulating blood pressure than taking one 30-minute walk. Both strategies lowered blood pressure, but people who took several shorter walks kept their blood pressure lower longer. While the 30-minute walk group reduced their blood pressure during the daytime and evening, the 10-minute walk group reduced it during the daytime, evening, nighttime, and the following morning.
Why? “Walking three times a day, even for a short period, reduces blood pressure after each instance, so you wind up with a longer-lasting reduction,” explained principal investigator Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D.
More recent studies have found similar results. In 2023, Columbia University Medical Center researchers found that “exercise snacks”—short bursts of light-intensity walking—helped regulate blood pressure. The people who saw the best results took one-minute walks every 60 minutes or five-minute walks every 30 minutes. And a 2024 study found that adding just five minutes of exercise to your day can lower your blood pressure.
So if you’re struggling to find 30 minutes to spare, don’t sweat it. Get up, and go for a 10-minute walk instead. Then, take two other 10-minute walks later in the day. To reap the benefits, you’ll want walk at a brisk pace, as though you’re late for an appointment.