When should you measure your blood pressure? The right schedule
In the morning before breakfast and in the evening before bed, twice each time, for seven days. Why these particular times – and why measuring in between does more harm than good.
Blood pressure follows a daily rhythm. It rises steeply in the early morning hours, peaks in the late morning, falls over the afternoon and is at its lowest at night. For many people, there are 20 to 40 mmHg between the highest and lowest point of a day.
That is why the question of timing is not a formality. If you measure at varying times, you are measuring the daily rhythm and not your blood pressure.
The two fixed time slots
Morning – within an hour of getting up. After going to the toilet, but before breakfast and before taking any blood pressure medication. The last point is crucial: after taking your tablets you are measuring the effect of the medication, not your baseline value. Both are interesting – but your doctor needs the baseline value for the assessment.
Evening – before going to bed. Not straight after dinner, not after exercise, not after a glass of wine.
Each time, take two measurements one to two minutes apart. Write both down. The second is typically slightly lower – this is normal and no reason to discard the first.
Seven days, then stop
A reliable picture comes from a measuring week, not from measuring constantly. The first day is left out of the evaluation, because readings at the start are higher due to the unfamiliarity of the situation. You calculate the average from the remaining six days.
You compare this average with the home measurement threshold of 135/85 mmHg – not with the 140/90 used at the doctor's surgery. The difference is explained in Blood pressure chart.
After that, a few check measurements per week are usually enough, unless agreed otherwise with your doctor.
Why measuring in between does harm
Many people take extra measurements when they feel unwell or restless. That is understandable but still counterproductive:
- You measure precisely when the reading is raised – and so confirm your worry, even though the number is not representative.
- The raised reading increases the restlessness, and the next measurement comes out higher. This spiral is a well-known pattern.
- The extra measurements blur the average of your measuring week.
If you feel unwell, that is a reason to listen to your body – not to the device. Why individual readings vary so much anyway is explained in Why your blood pressure is different every time you measure.
What the five minutes beforehand achieve
Sitting quietly for five minutes before every measurement is not just a polite formality. During this time, your circulation's reaction to whatever you have just been doing settles down: stairs, the doorbell, a conversation. Without this pause, you are measuring your daily activity too.
Seated, back supported, legs uncrossed, arm at heart level, no talking. No coffee and no cigarette in the 30 minutes beforehand. All sources of error in Measuring blood pressure correctly.
Special cases
If you get dizzy when standing up: also measure while standing – after one and after three minutes. This reveals orthostatic hypotension, which remains invisible when measuring only while seated.
If your medication has just been adjusted: your doctor will usually specify a closer schedule. That takes priority.
Night-time blood pressure cannot be meaningfully recorded at home – that is what 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is for. Why night-time readings are particularly meaningful is explained in Why your blood pressure at night matters more than during the day.
When you should seek medical advice
- If your weekly average is at or above 135/85 mmHg
- If individual readings are repeatedly above 180/110 mmHg – even without symptoms
- If your morning readings are significantly higher than your evening readings
- If you have headaches, visual disturbances, shortness of breath, dizziness or a racing heart
In case of sudden severe headache, chest pain, speech or visual disturbances or one-sided paralysis: call the emergency services on 112 immediately.
How to describe your symptoms so your doctor can actually work with them
Five steps for your next doctor’s appointment – plus a printable template for noting down your observations.
This is how it usually sounds
“I felt strange again last night. A kind of stumble, and it gave me a fright.”
“Let’s keep an eye on it.”
The guide shows you how to describe it instead and which questions to ask. What is usually missing are the numbers from exactly those two minutes – and those are what the BPER records, beat by beat.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to measure blood pressure?
In the morning within an hour of getting up and in the evening before going to bed. In the morning after going to the toilet, but before breakfast and before taking blood pressure medication.
Should I measure before or after taking my tablets?
Before. After taking them, you are measuring the effect of the medication and not your baseline value. The baseline value is what matters for your doctor's assessment.
How often and for how long should I measure?
Seven days in a row, twice each morning and evening. After that, a few check measurements per week are usually enough, unless agreed otherwise with your doctor.
Can I measure in between if I feel unwell?
Better not. You would then be measuring at a moment of increased tension, confirming your worry and at the same time blurring the average of your measuring week.
Why is the second measurement usually lower than the first?
That is normal. Blood pressure falls slightly over the course of a measuring session. Still write down both readings and do not discard the first.
When is blood pressure highest during the day?
In most people it rises most sharply in the early morning hours around waking and reaches a first peak in the late morning; a second peak is often in the late afternoon. At night it normally falls. This daily pattern is exactly why two measurements at the same time each day tell you more than many spread across the day.
How long should you sit before measuring blood pressure?
Sit quietly for five minutes before the cuff starts: back supported, feet side by side on the floor, arm supported at heart level, no talking. Without this rest period, the first reading regularly comes out too high – and it is precisely this reading that sticks in your mind as “my blood pressure”.
Can dizziness come from high blood pressure?
Dizziness is often associated with high blood pressure, but it is non-specific and can have many other causes – including pressure that is too low or drops too quickly. In case of sudden severe dizziness with visual or speech disturbances, signs of paralysis or chest pain: call the emergency number 112 immediately. Otherwise it helps to note down the moment and, if possible, measure straight afterwards.
Understand your blood pressure – a little more every week
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Sources
This article is for general information only and does not replace a medical diagnosis or treatment. If you have symptoms or questions about your treatment, please consult your doctor.