Most of us know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, getting plenty of sleep, and eating a healthy, balanced diet. There are multiple markers of having good health, like having good energy levels, maintaining an appropriate body mass index (BMI), as well as having healthy cholesterol levels and steady blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While it\u2019s easy enough to track energy levels and BMI, monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol on an ongoing basis is often more difficult. This is what the Aktiia 24\/7 blood pressure monitor is designed to do, as it keeps track of your blood pressure daily, alerting you to any underlying health issues you may be having. The ongoing nature of the monitoring means you\u2019re unlikely to experience a false positive, which can happen when measuring blood pressure in other ways. For example in medical settings it\u2019s not unusual for blood pressure to briefly spike due to stress, a phenomenon known as \u2018white coat hypertension\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Government of Canada<\/a> blood pressure is considered \u2018normal\u2019 if it\u2019s below 135\/85 mmHg provided you\u2019re measuring your levels at home. This rises to 140\/90 if you\u2019re taking a test outside your home, as you\u2019re more likely to be under stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Hypertension Canada<\/a> says you\u2019re only considered \u2018low risk\u2019 once you get levels below 120\/80. The organisation labelled \u2018medium risk\u2019 at 121-134\/80-84 and \u2018high risk\u2019 over 135+\/85+.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we\u2019ll explore, these blood pressure targets need to be taken with a grain of salt, as what\u2019s healthy and normal changes according to age and sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally blood pressure rises as you get older, as being under 145\/90 is considered the norm for over 60s according to a 2018 Ryerson University study<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of sex, blood pressure is similar in childhood for males and females, but after puberty it\u2019s higher in males. Once females enter into menopause they tend to have higher blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should take your personal health history into account when establishing a target, as a McMaster University study<\/a> concluded that over 60s who\u2019ve previously had a stroke or heart attack should aim to have systolic blood pressure lower than 140, rather than 150 for the average over-60 year old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s worth speaking to a healthcare practitioner to get a target tailored to your demographic and health history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blood pressure is the force required for your heart to pump blood around your body. The higher your blood pressure, the more at-risk you are of developing serious long-term conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two numbers being measured are known as systolic and diastolic pressures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Systolic blood pressure is measured first, followed by diastolic, with the unit mmHG (millimeters of mercury). If your systolic blood pressure is 100 and your diastolic is 70, you\u2019d read it as 100\/70 or 100 over 70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s more information on what the numbers mean from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having regular blood pressure measurements lets you know if you\u2019re moving in the right direction, whether that\u2019s through lifestyle changes or medication. That can help with motivation: if you go on a regular walk every day and notice your blood pressure levels trending lower, for example, that may spur you on to continue. Remember, lowering your blood pressure is a gradual process that benefits from consistent lifestyle changes. To get the most accurate results, collect daily readings over multiple weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your blood pressure is above 140\/90 you ideally need to see an improvement within a month. If that\u2019s not achieved it\u2019s recommended<\/a> that you speak to a healthcare professional about taking, or altering, your medication(s). If your levels are above 160\/100 there should be more urgency, and you should talk to a healthcare professional for medication(s) immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are different types of blood pressure monitors available for home use:<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow targets vary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What blood pressure readings are measuring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why ongoing measurements are so important<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Take Blood Pressure Readings at Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n