How to measure your blood pressure
Watch this video for guidance on measuring your blood pressure at home.
Home blood pressure monitoring
Measuring your blood pressure at home can help provide useful information about your blood pressure outside the healthcare setting.
Before you start
Follow the blood pressure monitoring instructions provided by your healthcare professional.
Taking your blood pressure reading
Before taking a reading
- Rest: Sit quietly and relax for five minutes before you start.
- Avoid triggers: Do not smoke, exercise, eat, or drink caffeine for 30 minutes before testing.
Positioning yourself
- Sit up straight with your back supported. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your legs uncrossed.
- Rest your arm on a table or armrest so the cuff is level with your heart. Make sure your upper arm is bare or has only thin fabric
Taking the measurement
- Place the cuff on your upper arm about 2cm above the bend of your elbow. (Do not use an arm with a dialysis fistula or graft).
- Turn on the monitor and remain completely still and silent. Do not talk or watch television
- Take at least two readings, waiting one to two minutes between each.
- Write down the numbers exactly as they appear on the screen without rounding.
Recording your readings
- Take 3 readings if possible (at least 2). Discard the first reading and take write down the average of the subsequent readings.
- Keep a record of blood pressure in the provided blood pressure diary
- Use the blood pressure calculator tool to calculate weekly averages
Important information
This website provides calendar reminders and information to support home blood pressure monitoring. It is not a clinical decision-support system.
Follow the monitoring instructions provided by your healthcare professional.