Finding time to exercise each day is a challenge for many people, but a new study of nearly 15,000 men and women found that adding as little as five minutes of activity to get your heart rate up is enough to lower blood pressure.

Adding small amounts of exercise into daily routine, such as climbing stairs or cycling to the shops, could help to reduce blood pressure, with just five additional minutes a day estimated to yield improvements, finds a new study from researchers at UCL and the University of Sydney.

Just five minutes of exercise a day can lower blood pressure and help to stave off heart problems, research has found.

New research suggests that adding a small amount of physical activity -- such as uphill walking or stair-climbing -- into your day may help to lower blood pressure.