Short Walks Control Blood Pressure
Linda Slota, Director

Don't have time for a long walk?

Researchers at Indiana University have good news: Taking 4 short strolls a day may be even better than one long walk, at least when it comes to controlling high blood pressure. They tested 20 people with prehypertension, compaing the benefits of four 10 minute walks with one 40 minute walk. Both regimens reduced participants' blood pressure, and by the same amount, but the effects of the combined short walks lasted longer; 11 hours, compared to 7 hours after the single long walk. Lead researcher Janet Wallace, PhD. says the team was surprised at the results but hoped they might motivate people who can't free up a big block of time: "The biggest problem for most people is that they don't have time."