The Japanese saying, \u201cEven a cold stone will warm up if you sit on it for 3 years,\u201d reflects the importance of persistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New findings suggest this philosophy also applies to managing hypertension through sustained exercise habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recent research by Yamaji et al. revealed that a continuous 3-year exercise regimen significantly improved endothelial function in patients with hypertension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This study is the first to assess real-world changes in flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) between regular exercisers and control groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted exercise routines globally, these results highlight the critical need for maintaining consistent physical activity to protect vascular health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, Yamaji’s study was conducted and designed prior to the pandemic, offering prescient insight into the long-term value of exercise continuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although sitting duration wasn’t directly analyzed in this study, numerous reports emphasize that longer sedentary time increases mortality risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Japanese adults, for example, average 5.3\u2009\u00b1\u20093.7 hours of sitting on weekdays, with “high-sedentary” individuals often being overweight, unmarried, unemployed, or highly educated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reducing prolonged sitting and promoting regular exercise are key strategies to combat hypertension and improve overall cardiovascular outcomes, as discussed in our guide on the impact of increased exercise or no exercise on blood pressure<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing hypertension with antihypertensive medication remains important but doesn’t address root causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behavioral changes\u2014especially consistent exercise\u2014play a foundational role in treating hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression, and cognitive decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The phrase \u201cExercise is Medicine\u201d underscores exercise\u2019s broad therapeutic power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notably, endothelial function deteriorates with age, making vascular health a direct indicator of biological aging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 3-year exercise intervention showed marked improvements in endothelial health, offering tangible proof that continued physical activity mitigates vascular aging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Yamaji’s study, arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) remained unchanged after 3 years, contrasting with some previous research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meta-analyses suggest that aerobic or combined training improves arterial stiffness and endothelial function, but differences in exercise prescriptions complicate direct comparisons.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExercise Is Medicine: Beyond Blood Pressure Control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Exercise, Arterial Stiffness, and FITT-VP Principles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n