How hard can it be to measure blood pressure?

Apparently, not hard at all. After all, you have seen how the doctor does it. Strapping on the cuff, pumping some air into the cuff and voila. The result is declared and you are quoted your systolic and diastolic blood pressure figures. Were you really relaxed whilst the doctor was taking the measurement? It is highly probable that you were not relaxed. The thought of visiting a doctor for any check-up is stressful enough.

Nevertheless, a visit to the doctor can not be avoided for those rare check-up appointments. But, what if you have health issues or you know someone who has health issues and need to monitor the blood pressure daily or even more frequently?

If you have purchased one or if you are thinking of getting a blood pressure monitor for personal use then I cannot emphasise any more than to say that please be very careful in how you monitor your blood pressure. Of course, you have seen how it was done by the doctor but you could be going about it the wrong way and end up getting false measurements.

Following are a few brief but important tips for you to know and pass on for how and when to take your blood pressure measurements.

If you have eaten, or exercised or smoked in the past 30 minutes then do not strap on that cuff just yet. Instead, wait a little longer and try to relax. You will need to sit down on a chair and your blood pressure monitor will be, ideally, positioned on a table in front of you.

You will need to remove any tight clothing from around your upper arm, from your elbow to your your shoulder. If the room you are sitting in is either to hot or to cold then neither is good as this will cause undue stress. The room temperature should be moderate to avoid discomfort.

When you are ready, go ahead and put the cuff on your upper arm. You need to ensure that the cuff is about an inch above the elbow joint. Do not strap it tight. The arm position must be such that hand facing up, elbow is bent, and the cuff is level with your chest. It needs to be at the same level as your heart. Are you relaxed? If you are not then take a few deep breaths.

If you have someone in the room observing then that is fine. They should know and help you relax. Avoid talking and moving during measurement as the figures will be unreliable. If you need to take measurements daily then try do so about the same time of the day and having followed above tips.

See more on reviews of best blood pressure monitors and our recommended selection.