5 Tips for Accurately Monitoring Your Blood Pressure
Did you know that regular monitoring of blood pressure at home is scientifically proven to improve attainment of target blood pressure [1]? Read on to learn 5 tips for accurately monitoring your blood pressure at home. These tips helped me personally to bring down blood pressure into the normal range in less than a year.
High blood pressure is a health condition that is associated with some nasty consequences such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney failures. To diagnose and track it, doctors often ask patients to check blood pressure at home. But even professionals can make mistakes explaining procedures for home blood pressure monitoring
- Use a reliable blood pressure monitor.
The first step to accurately monitoring your blood pressure is to use a reliable blood pressure monitor. There are many different types of monitors available, most popular are arm and wrist monitors. It’s important to choose a monitor that has been validated for accuracy by a government agency. You can also ask your healthcare provider for recommendations on which monitor to use.
IMPORTANT: Upper arm blood pressure monitor cuffs produce more accurate results than wrist based cuffs.
Dr. Peter Attia, interviewed on Huberman Lab Podcast [1], suggests using automated blood pressure monitors which are more convenient. My personal experience shows that using a Bluetooth enabled blood pressure monitor is more convenient because they automatically send readings to blood pressure tracking apps.
2. Measure at the same time each day.
To get the most accurate readings, it’s important to measure your blood pressure at the same time each day. This helps to eliminate any variations that may occur due to changes in your daily routine or activities.
Dr. Attia suggests his patients to measure blood pressure twice per day for two weeks and take notes.
It is better to measure blood pressure in the morning, for example just before breakfast. The second measurement should be done in late afternoon or early evening. For example, just before dinner. Taking your blood pressure reading right before your regular daily event, like a meal, helps to make it a daily habit.
3. Sit in a comfortable and relaxed position.
When monitoring your blood pressure, it’s important to sit in a comfortable and relaxed position. This helps to reduce any stress or tension that may affect your readings. Sit with your back straight and supported, and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your arm with a cuff on a flat surface, like a table. At heart level. Avoid crossing your legs or arms [3]. This can affect your blood pressure readings.
Avoid talking or moving during the measurement. No exercise 30 minutes prior to taking a reading. I had to force myself to follow this rule. I exercise a lot so it took me an effort to find two suitable daily time slots for taking blood pressure readings.
4. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking before measuring.
Before measuring your blood pressure, it’s important to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking. These substances can cause your blood pressure to temporarily increase, which can lead to inaccurate readings. It’s recommended to avoid caffeine for at least 30 minutes before measuring, and to avoid alcohol and smoking for at least one hour before taking a reading.
5. Keep a record of your blood pressure readings and share with your doctor.
You can use a paper log to track your readings but a blood pressure log app makes it much more convenient. It’s very important to share your readings with your doctor so they can monitor your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.
Our blood pressure app BreathNow is created for people who would like to lower blood pressure naturally. Blood pressure Tracker in BreathNow is an advanced tool which provides insights on what activities help to lower blood pressure. Doctors love BreathNow because it allows users to share their readings with a doctor remotely, without visiting the doctor’s office.
BP tracker is a free feature of the app and together with the Stress Monitor they help to identify necessary life changes which will lower your blood pressure. This makes BreathNow one of the best blood pressure tracking apps. Try BreathNow today and see how it helps to improve your health.
IMPORTANT: Some people experience a “white coat syndrome” which is when readings are higher in a doctor’s office than at home. Others may experience a “masked hypertension,” where readings are normal in a doctor’s office but high outside the office. This makes monitoring blood pressure at home even more important.
References:
- Self‐blood pressure monitoring is associated with improved awareness, adherence, and attainment of target blood pressure goals: Prospective observational study of 7751 patients, the Journal of Clinical Hypertension
- Dr. Peter Attia: Improve Vitality, Emotional & Physical Health & Lifespan | Huberman Lab Podcast
- Monitoring blood pressure at home can be tricky. Here’s how to do it right., American Heart Association
