You’ve been taking blood pressure readings—great! But if those numbers are higher than your goals, you may feel discouraged. We’re here to tell you: Don’t.
First things first: You measured your own blood pressure. You’re taking time to prioritize your health. That is a victory! Pat yourself on the back.
Even if your blood pressure readings are high, it’s important to keep taking them. One of the biggest benefits of at-home blood pressure readings is that you can do them as often as you’d like. Getting into a checking habit can help you discover trends.
For instance, you may notice that blood pressure readings vary slightly throughout the day. This happens naturally and is very normal. Most of the time, blood pressure follows a daily pattern of ups and downs.
Other things like cold temperature, stress, exercise, over-the-counter medications and even needing to empty your bladder can cause numbers to rise. Through taking regular readings, you’ll notice how different parts of your day can impact your blood pressure.
And if your numbers continue to be high? Well, that’s why you’re here. And we’re here to support you on this journey. True, if you have high blood pressure, the long-term goal is to get those numbers down. But each reading is just a point in time. Following the patterns of your blood pressure readings can inform you and your provider. Together, you can make the right choices to help you get the results you want.
Remember, change happens one step at a time. So keep up the great work of checking your blood pressure. Share the results with your provider so they can help you zero in on what tools will be right for you. And keep it up. You’re already doing better than you think.