Blood Pressure Tips: The right way to measure blood pressure at home, keep these things in mind..

Regularly checking blood pressure is a good lifestyle habit. A sudden rise or fall of BP can prove to be dangerous to health. Especially if you have senior citizens in your family, a BP machine is a must at home. The traditional manual machine is considered the most authentic, but for convenience, people nowadays prefer digital BP monitors. However, just having the machine is not enough — it is equally important to use it correctly so that the readings are not wrong. Also, instead of relying on the reading taken just once, one should measure at least 2–3 times, so that the result is accurate. Let us know what things should be kept in mind while checking BP.

1. Choose the right time

The time to measure blood pressure is very important. Take the reading half an hour or one hour after waking up in the morning, and you can also measure BP before sleeping at night. Apart from this, it is better to take a reading after breakfast or the main meal and take the average.

2. The correct position is important

Before measuring BP, let the person sit quietly for at least 5 minutes. Keep the feet straight on the ground, keep the hand flat on the table, and ensure that the hand is at the heart level. The palm should be facing upwards, and the back should be close to the chair.

3. Correct way of installing the machine

Remove the cloth from the arm before putting the cuff of the machine. Tie the cuff about an inch above the elbow. The tube of the strap should always be towards the outer part. Most machines have a mark to ensure their correct installation.

4. Pay attention to the tightness

The cuff should neither be too loose nor too tight. Tie it in such a way that two fingers can easily go inside it. When the machine fills with air, a slight tightness should be felt, but there should be no pain.

5. Do not move or talk during the reading

After turning on the BP machine, the person should remain still. Do not move or talk. The cuff will first inflate and create pressure and then loosen, after which the reading will appear on the monitor. If the result is not obtained, repeat the process.

6. Measure more than once

Do not rely on the reading taken once. Measure two to three times continuously and find the average. If you have to exercise in the morning, first check your BP and then exercise. Keep in mind, it is not right to measure BP in bed as soon as you wake up.

7. Tea-coffee and other precautions

Avoid tea, coffee or any kind of caffeinated beverage at least 30 minutes before measuring blood pressure. Also, empty the bladder before checking BP because a full bladder can also temporarily increase blood pressure.

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