Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on Reddit Share on Pinterest Share on Linkedin Share on Tumblr Monitoring our own blood pressure is a healthy behavior that can help us prevent serious health conditions. Although this is a modern behavior, it is taken seriously by people of all ages. We are going to look at how to take your own blood pressure at home.Heart diseases attack younger and younger people and stress is the main factor that contributes to this phenomenon. Knowing how to monitor your own blood pressure is important as the years go by. Keeping a log of your blood pressure levels means a lot to doctors, too. By taking a look into your entries, they can figure out whether a certain health condition’s causes are related to your blood pressure history or not. Here’s how to take your own blood pressure at homeFirst of all, every person should have their own blood pressure monitor for home use. It is recommendable to buy a device that is reliable. If you want to be sure about its quality, you can ask your doctor for a recommendation. Before starting to monitor your blood pressure at home, it is a good idea to have it measured by a physician or your family doctor, who can confirm that the results are accurate. It is best to have it measured on both arms, as there is a slight difference of approximately 10 mm Hg between the two arms. Once you have the results, you can start the monitoring process. This doesn’t have to be just a phase. You can do it throughout your life, if possible. Keep a journal or a computer file saved on a backup drive or cloud. This way, you will know for sure that your data will not be lost in time. Depending on your age, health condition, and reasons for monitoring your own blood pressure, you can do it daily, weekly or monthly. Regardless of how often you do it, take into consideration the following:Measure your blood pressure in the morning, before drinking any coffee, smoking, or exercising –these are all factors that influence your blood pressure level. Sit in a correct position – your body posture should allow your blood to run smoothly and correctlyTake more than one reading – you should always make sure that the results are correct. As you can never know if they were correct from the first time, you should take two or three readings.Follow a schedule – It is best to measure your blood pressure at the same time every day if you are trying to keep a detailed log. This will help you and your doctor analyze your condition. Check the monitor’s specifications – it is important to know how to use the blood pressure monitor in order to record the correct data.Try to measure your blood pressure after you emptied your bladder – sometimes it can affect your blood pressure levels.What else can you do?If you are interested in knowing exactly what your health condition is, except for monitoring the blood pressure, you can also check your pulse. The pulse can bemeasured by placing two of your fingers on the inner side of the wrist and counting the beats for 30 seconds. If you have a normal pulse, you will have counted between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Should anything go wrong or look unusual, always speak to your doctor. In summary, monitoring your blood pressure at home daily, weekly, or monthly, according to your age, health condition, and reasons, is essential in maintaining optimal health.With a reliable blood pressure monitor and these simple guidelines, you can keep track of your blood pressure history and help your doctor determine whether certain health conditions are related to your blood pressure.
