boltIn short
- Rest for five minutes first, with no tea, coffee, exercise or smoking in the half hour before.
- Sit with your back supported, feet flat and your arm resting at heart level.
- Take two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, and record both.
A home blood pressure monitor is only useful if the numbers are right. Most odd readings come from how the reading was taken, not from your heart. A few small habits fix that.
Before you start
- No tea, coffee, exercise or smoking for 30 minutes beforehand
- Use the toilet first, because a full bladder can push the reading up
- Sit quietly for five minutes before you press the button
How to sit
- Back supported, feet flatSit in a chair with a back. Keep both feet on the floor and don't cross your legs.
- Arm at heart levelRest your arm on a table so the cuff is level with your heart.
- Cuff on bare skinWrap it about 2 cm above the elbow crease, snug enough that two fingers fit underneath.
- Stay still and quietTalking or moving during the reading can change the result.
Take two, and record both
Take two readings one minute apart and note both. Do this in the morning before your medicines and again in the evening. If your monitor sends readings to an app, it does the recording for you.
What the numbers mean
The top number, systolic, is the pressure when your heart beats. The bottom number, diastolic, is the pressure between beats. Many guidelines treat home readings of 135/85 or above as high, but targets differ from person to person. Use the range your doctor gave you.
When a reading is high
Don't panic over one number. Sit and rest for five minutes, then take it again. If your readings stay above your range for a few days, tell your care team so they can look at the pattern.
Common mistakes
- Putting the cuff over a sleeve
- Using a cuff that's too small or too large for your arm
- Measuring straight after climbing stairs or rushing around
- Only taking a reading when you feel unwell