Relaxation techniques may help lower high blood pressure – at least in the short term, research suggests.
Experts found that tai chi, yoga, meditation and breathing control exercises all helped reduce blood pressure in those with the condition.
However, they suggested the quality of the overall evidence is poor and more work is needed.
Just over a quarter of adults in the UK – equating to around 14.4 million people – are thought to have high blood pressure.
The condition is very common, especially in older people, and it often does not have symptoms.
In those under 80, high blood pressure is classed as having a reading of 140/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional or 135/85 or higher when checked at home.
For people aged 80 and over, high blood pressure is classed as 150/90 or higher when checked by a healthcare professional or 145/85 or higher when checked at home.
For the new research, a team from the universities of Exeter and Bristol examined results from 54 existing studies on the issue.
They found that, at short-term follow-up (three months or less), most relaxation interventions appeared to have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
Compared with people doing nothing, having their usual care or being on a waiting list for treatment, moderate reductions in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) were found for breathing control (typically −6.65 mm Hg), meditation (−7.71 mm Hg), meditative movement including tai chi and yoga (−9.58 mm Hg), mindfulness (−9.90 mm Hg), music (−6.61 mm Hg) and progressive muscle relaxation (−7.46 mm Hg).
Reductions were also seen for diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number), the researchers said.
Few of the studies followed up patients for more than three months, but the effects on blood pressure seemed to lessen over time.
The team, writing in the journal BMJ Medicine, concluded: “The results of our study indicated that many relaxation interventions show promise for reducing blood pressure in the short term but the longer term effects are unclear.
“Future studies in this area should include adequate follow-up to establish whether the effects on blood pressure persist over time, both while the relaxation interventions are ongoing and after they have been completed.”
Emily McGrath, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “In the short term, simple breathing exercises could help reduce stress levels by slowing the breathing rate, helping you breathe deeper and helping to lower the production of cortisol.
“However, more research is needed to conclusively understand this link and whether relaxation exercises have any impact on reducing blood pressure long term.
“Current guidelines encourage mindful strengthening exercises, like yoga or pilates, which can form part of an enjoyable exercise regime that people may find easier to stick to. Regular exercise is key to maintaining lower blood pressure.
“There are other lifestyle changes as well as exercise that can benefit your blood pressure.
“These include keeping to a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, cutting down on salt, not drinking too much alcohol and ensuring that you continue to take any prescribed medication.”
Getting older increases the risk of high blood pressure, as does having close relatives with high blood pressure, having a black African, black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background, an unhealthy diet and being overweight.
Most people do not know they have high blood pressure but symptoms include headaches, blurred vision and chest pain.
