Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day.
This article discusses the best time to take your blood pressure.
It explains how blood pressure changes throughout the day and provides tips for getting the most accurate readings.
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Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking, or exercise for 30 minutes prior to taking your blood pressure.
Ideally, you want to take your blood pressure at the same set times each day.
In the Morning
Many healthcare providers recommend taking your blood pressure first thing in the morning.
After using the bathroom, sit quietly for 5 minutes.
To ensure accurate results, take two readings roughly one minute apart.
If you get two vastly different readings, wait another minute and take it again.
In most cases, healthcare providers do not recommend taking afternoon readings.
However, some researchers think afternoon readings can provide valuable insight.
Blood pressure peaks vary from person to person.
In the Evening
Evening blood pressure readings are commonly used alongside morning readings.
The best time to take your blood pressure in the evening is still up for debate.
Home blood pressure monitoring guidelines are different across the globe.
Researchers are uncertain if this is due to cultural variations or genetic factors among different ethnicities.
Ask your healthcare provider to clarify the best time for you to take your blood pressure.
These monitors are the gold standard for predicting a person’s risk for heart disease.
It is very common.
Your healthcare provider may recommend home blood pressure checks for other reasons besides careful monitoring for high blood pressure.
For instance, they may want to see whether a drug used to control blood pressure is working.
Or they may want to look for any changes if you adopt a new low-salt diet.
They may use home blood pressure checks to monitor forlow blood pressurein certain people.
It also may be useful to monitor for masked hypertension.
Interpreting Your Blood Pressure Readings
Blood pressure measurements are given as two numbers.
They are thesystolic (top) number and diastolic (bottom) number.
This is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
So a blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg is read as “120 over 80.”
This is a serious condition and requires immediate medical attention.
Your healthcare provider will use your home blood pressure readings alongside the office blood pressure readings.
They are not meant as a substitute, so be sure to continue seeing your provider for regular checkups.
Digital at-home blood pressure monitors are easy to use and sold at most drug stores.
The most important factor in selecting one is the cuff size.
Blood pressure cuffs range in size from a child’s small to an adult extra-large.
Your healthcare provider can guide you to the appropriate unit for you.
Afternoon blood pressure readings are not commonly recommended.
Blood pressure should be checked while seated after a few minutes of rest.
Take at least two readings a minute apart each time.
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American Heart Association.Understanding blood pressure readings.
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American Academy of Family Physicians.Blood pressure monitoring at home.
American Heart Association.Monitoring your blood pressure at home.
