Measure your blood pressure the right way

The heart pumps the blood to different parts of the body through the arteries. The force the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries it passes through is known as blood pressure. The blood pressure in our bodies varies depending upon body temperature, activity level, diet, emotional and physical state, and posture.

Blood pressure measurement seems to be a very simple thing to do. Actually, there are a number of precautions that need to be taken.

In case you are suffering from hypertension, you might need to check your blood pressure at home. The following are the things that you need to take care of when having your blood pressure measured.

1. Strictly avoid drinking anything that contains caffeine, tobacco and alcohol at least 30 minutes before you have your blood pressure measured.

2. Just before you take the test, visit the bathroom

3. Avoid talking too much before the test.

4. Before the test, try to put yourself in a relaxed position. Make sure that you are not under any form of stress or anxiety.

5. Sit in a relaxed position, with your feet on the floor and back well supported.

6. As blood pressure is subject to change during different times of the day, try to take the measurements at a regular time daily.

7. Your arm should be in a rested position at a level equal to that of the heart. Try to keep your arm on a desk or a table.

8. Wrap and fit the cuff properly on to your wrist. Make sure that you have enough space to slip one fingertip under the cuff.

9. Take two or three measurements with a time interval of around 20 minutes and then consider the average as your final measurement.