Hiking and Blood Pressure: How Trekking Lowers Hypertension

Lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are on the rise in modern society, posing a serious public health challenge. While medication plays an important role in managing these conditions, regular physical activity is widely recognized as equally essential.

In this series, we explore the science behind how hiking affects blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Part 1 focuses on the relationship between hiking and blood pressure.

How Hiking Affects Blood Pressure: Short-Term and Long-Term Effects

The impact of hiking on blood pressure differs depending on whether you look at a single hike or a long-term hiking habit.

Short-Term Effects (What Happens During a Single Hike)

During exercise: Systolic blood pressure (the upper number) rises temporarily. This is a completely normal physiological response to physical activity.
After exercise: A phenomenon known as Post-Exercise Hypotension (PEH) occurs, where blood pressure drops below pre-exercise levels for several hours after finishing. Research from Tokyo Medical University confirmed that after moderate-intensity hiking, systolic blood pressure decreased by an average of 8–12 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by 4–7 mmHg.

Long-Term Effects (With a Regular Hiking Habit)

A study of middle-aged adults with a tendency toward hypertension who hiked approximately once a week for three months showed an average improvement of −10 mmHg systolic and −6 mmHg diastolic in resting blood pressure.
The effects were especially pronounced in those with Stage 1 hypertension, with some cases showing results comparable to medication.

What Makes Hiking So Effective for Blood Pressure?

Several factors work together to produce hiking’s blood pressure benefits:

Sustained aerobic exercise
Continuous moderate-intensity movement increases vascular elasticity and reduces peripheral vascular resistance.
Interval-like load from elevation changes
Unlike flat walking, the repeated ascents and descents of hiking create an effect similar to interval training, improving cardiovascular adaptability.
Improved autonomic nervous system balance
Being active in a forest environment suppresses overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and promotes parasympathetic activity, contributing to more stable blood pressure.

What the Research Shows

A study conducted by Osaka City University followed 30 patients aged 45–65 with mild hypertension over six months. One group hiked low-altitude mountains (300–800m) on weekends, while the other group walked on flat ground for the same duration.

The results were striking:

Group	Starting BP	After 6 Months	Change
Hiking group	152 mmHg	138 mmHg	−14 mmHg
Walking group	153 mmHg	145 mmHg	−8 mmHg

Even with the same amount of exercise time, hiking produced significantly greater blood pressure improvements — likely due to the varying intensity from gradients and the compounding effects of the natural environment.