Proper timing: Blood pressure is often highest early in the morning – 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. – so choose another time to take it. Be consistent: Take your blood pressure at the same time of day. Discuss with your health care provider how often you should measure your blood pressure.
Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while sleeping.
You can check it any time of the day, but try to do it the same time every day, and in the same arm. Blood pressures do tend to be higher in the morning, partly because of the little burst of adrenaline we need to get ourselves going at the start of the day.
We know that taking blood pressure tablets in the morning is beneficial in controlling high blood pressure, but more recent findings (enabled by the use of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring) suggest that night-time dosing may have an even better effect.
Your blood pressure should be checked in the morning, about an hour after you wake up, and in the evening, about an hour before you go to sleep, using the same arm each time. Taking 3 consecutive measurements (about 1 minute apart) will provide a more accurate understanding of your "true" blood pressure.
Blood pressure should be checked while seated after a few minutes of rest. Take at least two readings a minute apart each time. Wait at least 30 minutes after having caffeine, alcohol, smoking, or exercising before taking your blood pressure.
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg .
Still, you can make lifestyle changes to bring your blood pressure down. Something as simple as keeping yourself hydrated by drinking six to eight glasses of water every day improves blood pressure. Water makes up 73% of the human heart,¹ so no other liquid is better at controlling blood pressure.
Morning time can be dangerous for people living with high blood pressure. Studies have shown that blood pressure can increase the most in the morning time, which can lead to a higher likelihood of cardiac events.
Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke. Stroke symptoms include numbness or tingling, trouble speaking, or changes in vision.
A BP cuff that is too large will give falsely low readings, while an overly small cuff will provide readings that are falsely high.
Your first blood pressure reading will almost always be higher than the second due to a wide range of factors, both environmental and psychological. These factors include white coat syndrome, stress, and having a full bladder.
It's normal for there to be small changes in your blood pressure. Don't check your blood pressure too often. Some people find that they become worried or stressed about small changes in their readings if they take them too often.
Everyone's blood pressure rises and falls many times during the course of a single day, sometimes even within minutes. Many factors contribute to these changes, including physical activity, emotion, body position, diet (especially salt and alcohol intake), and sleep deprivation.
Walking lowers systolic blood pressure by 4.11 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.01 to 5.22 mm Hg). It lowers diastolic blood pressure by 1.79 mm Hg (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.51 mm Hg) and resting heart rate by 2.76 beats per minute (bpm; 95% CI, 0.95 to 4.57 bpm).
Bananas. These are rich in potassium, a nutrient shown to help lower blood pressure, says Laffin. One medium banana provides about 375 milligrams of potassium, about 11 percent of the recommended daily intake for a man, and 16 percent for a woman.
Some research suggests coffee can lower the risk for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, in people who don't already have it. But drinking too much coffee has been shown to raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping.
High blood pressure symptoms in women can be subtle
Headaches. Fatigue. Shortness of breath. Chest discomfort.
Beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and avocado are other potassium-rich foods that may help lower blood pressure naturally. Kiwifruit: According to one study, eating three kiwifruit daily can help dramatically lower blood pressure. Kiwi is delicious chopped up in fruit salad or sprinkled on top of plain yogurt.