Blood pressure has an internal rhythm associated with the 24-hr clock. Nocturnal blood pressure (BP) is a key contributor to cardiovascular health and may be improved by exercise. Moreover, the time of day of the exercise may be a key factor. This study aims to evaluate the effect of evening exercise on BP and other measures of vascular function in older females with hypertension.
The treatment of high blood pressure, or hypertension, is multifaceted and can include pharmacological therapies (i.e., medications) and lifestyle modifications such as physical activity. Chronotherapy, which describes timing of a treatment with your body's daily rhythms, has recently been used with hypertension medications and has been shown to be effective at lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease events. Specifically, taking medications in the evening was shown to be more effective than morning medication routines. Little information is available about the effectiveness of chronotherapy combined with exercise (i.e., planned physical activity) interventions in older adults with hypertension. The purpose of this study is to examine how exercise performed in the morning and early evening affects blood pressure and other measures of blood vessel health in postmenopausal females with hypertension.