Eastern promise: Traditional Chinese breathwork may lower blood pressure as much as a brisk walk

A traditional Chinese breath-work routine could be as effective at lowering blood pressure as a brisk walk, research has found.

The practice, known as baduanjin, has been popular in China for nearly 1,000 years, and involves a series of eight slow arm movements combined with deep breathing exercises for ten to 15 minutes.

These include lifting the hands over the head with fingers interlocked, pressing one up and the other down, and reaching out to touch the feet.

More than 14 million people in the UK have high blood pressure – the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Current NHS guidelines advise sufferers to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling.

Baduanjin is popular among older generations in China due to its low-impact movements, and has been shown to help with sleep, spine flexibility and muscle strength.

Researchers from the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases (NCCD) in Beijing tracked blood pressure changes in more than 200 people from seven communities across the country.

All were over 40 and had hypertension – an early stage of high blood pressure.

They were divided into three groups. Five times a week, one was assigned to do baduanjin, another to do self-directed exercise and the third instructed to go for a brisk walk.

After a year the baduanjin group had reduced their blood pressure by the same amount as the brisk walkers – a reduction also comparable to that produced by some first-line medications.

‘Given its simplicity, safety and ease at which one can maintain long-term adherence, baduanjin can be implemented as an effective, accessible and scalable lifestyle intervention for individuals trying to reduce their blood pressure,’ said Dr Jing Li, lead author of the study and director of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the NCCD.