Everyone's blood pressure rises and falls many times during the course of a single day, sometimes even within minutes.
Your blood pressure regularly rises and falls, but if your blood pressure changes too much within minutes, this may be one of the signs of labile hypertension.
Blood pressure that swings in both directions may be a sign of a different problem called autonomic dysfunction. People with this problem have difficulty regulating involuntary functions such as heart rate, breathing and body temperature, in addition to blood pressure.
Blood pressure has a daily pattern. Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening.
Everyone's blood pressure rises and falls many times during the course of a single day, sometimes even within minutes. Many factors contribute to these changes, including physical activity, emotion, body position, diet (especially salt and alcohol intake), and sleep deprivation.
If your blood pressure fluctuates a lot, you likely have a condition known as labile hypertension. This can be caused by a range of lifestyle factors or point to an underlying medical condition needing treatment.
It's normal for your blood pressure to go up and down a little during the day. If you're using a home blood pressure cuff, the readings might be off. The same holds true for drugstore equipment. It's also possible that your readings vary because you're stressed by being in a healthcare setting.
“It's actually quite normal to have variation in blood pressure readings, even within a few minutes,” says Marjorie Willett, nurse practitioner at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center. “Factors that may create changes include physical activity, emotion, diet (especially salt and alcohol intake), and sleep deprivation.”
High levels of stress can lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure. Stress-related habits such as eating more, using tobacco or drinking alcohol can lead to further increases in blood pressure.
At the beginning, measure your blood pressure at least twice daily. Take it first in the morning before eating or taking any medications. Take it again in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are the same.
Systolic pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) measures the force with which the heart pumps blood into the arteries. Diastolic pressure (the second, lower number) reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.
Call 911 or emergency medical services if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or greater and you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or symptoms of stroke.
We observe that 5 minutes after the first measurement the diastolic BP decreases, on average, of about 3.5 mmHg, while the corresponding decrease for the systolic BP is 6 mmHg.
The European Society of Cardiology²¹ recommends that people lay down and take naps during midday to help lower their pressure levels. Additionally, the American College of Cardiology claims that the average systolic blood pressure drops by about 3 mm Hg²² for each hour one lays down for a nap.
Surges of anxiety can cause blood pressure spikes, but these are typically temporary. Over time, however, chronic anxiety can begin to have an adverse effect on someone's baseline blood pressure. We understand your desire to manage each of these conditions without the use of medication.
Use a blood pressure log [PDF – 284 KB] to record your blood pressure measurements. Take your blood pressure at the same time every day. Take at least two readings, 1 or 2 minutes apart.
A cuff that is too snug or too loose on the mid-upper arm can lead to greatly exaggerated blood pressure measurements, results of a community-based study show.
Dozens of at home blood pressure machines were tested in the study. According to the results, the participants' home blood pressure monitor readings were off by around 5 mmHg a shocking 70% of the time.
Measure your blood pressure twice a day, ideally in the morning and the evening, while you're sitting down. Each time take 2 readings, at least 1 minute apart. Continue to measure your blood pressure twice a day for 7 days. Your doctor or nurse will use this information to work out your average blood pressure.
A person's blood pressure usually varies slightly throughout the day. However, if it regularly fluctuates, this will often require monitoring and management. It is important that a medical professional checks a person's fluctuating blood pressure regularly, as it can reveal a lot about the person's health.
Your blood pressure should be checked in the morning, about an hour after you wake up, and in the evening, about an hour before you go to sleep, using the same arm each time. Taking 3 consecutive measurements (about 1 minute apart) will provide a more accurate understanding of your "true" blood pressure.
Blood pressure readings taken at home were consistent with ABPM. Blood pressure readings based on follow-up clinic visits were significantly lower for the systolic measure, leading to over half of the people with hypertension based on ABPM being missed.
The less you sleep, the higher your blood pressure may go. People who sleep six hours or less may have steeper increases in blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, not sleeping well may make your blood pressure worse.