Knowing your blood pressure and why it changes

Being health conscious these days means a lot more than just sticking to a proper diet, or getting regular exercise. Everyone’s body is different, so making sure that you understand your body’s rhythms is the key to making smarter choices. A good start is keeping an eye on your blood pressure, which will help you better understand how your body works.

Blood pressure is the force placed on the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood around your body. If it is too high, this puts a strain on your heart and blood vessels and makes you more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes. As you measure, you might see that your blood pressure changes throughout the day. This is perfectly natural and, in this article, we’ll look at some of the common reasons for changes in your blood pressure and tips to keep it under control.

It’s perfectly normal for your blood pressure readings to change over time

Firstly, as you monitor, you’ll see your blood pressure readings go up and down at various times depending on what you’re doing. Keeping an eye on this will help you understand how your body reacts to different situations and what you can do to keep to your ideal blood pressure.

Don’t worry so much!

Feeling under pressure? Your body will respond to stress by releasing adrenaline and other hormones. This causes your heart to beat faster and your blood pressure to go up. It’s important to understand that one isolated increase isn’t a cause for concern. At the same time, though, if high blood pressure levels continue then this could be an issue. A good habit to get into is taking regular measurements at home over the course of a week several times a year. Recording any changes in a diary such as My Journal, which is available on the OMRON connect app, will help you identify the factors that may cause your blood pressure to rise, and enable you to share your readings with your doctor to head off any potential issues.

Keep moving!

If you’ve just been for a run or smashed it in the gym then you’ll see a rise. Systolic blood pressure (the higher of your two readings, taken when your heart is pumping blood through your body) goes up during exertion as your muscles need more oxygen, making your heart beat faster to deliver it. After exercise your blood pressure should go back to normal and, in fact, staying fit is very important to keep an ideal blood pressure. One tip is to try getting off the train one stop before your usual station and walking the rest of the way to your destination to get those steps in.

Feeling hot?

A hot bath, a sauna or even just a summer walk can lower your blood pressure. This is your blood vessels regulating your body temperature and shouldn’t be anything to worry about. Having said that, while low blood pressure isn’t necessarily bad for you, readings that are too low could put you at risk of feeling dizzy or even fainting. Listen to your body and take steps such as drinking plenty of water on a hot day, or regularly resting in the shade. This will help keep your blood pressure in a range that’s not too high nor too low.

At the end of the day, your body is unique and reacts in different ways. It’s easy and quick to get into the habit of monitoring your blood pressure as part of your daily routine to gain more knowledge about your own body. Choose the OMRON blood pressure monitor that best fits your schedule with our blood pressure monitor comparison tool and start monitoring now.