
09/09/2025
When you're taking your blood pressure at home there are things you can do to help get an accurate reading.
Try to:
sit on an upright chair with a back
place your feet flat on the floor
rest your arm on a table and relax your hand and arm
wear something with short sleeves so the cuff does not go over clothes
relax, breathe normally and do not talk during the test
take another reading a few minutes after your first reading to check it's accurate
If you've been asked by a healthcare professional to measure your blood pressure, do this as often as they advised, usually morning and evening. If you regularly use a home blood pressure monitor you should tell your GP practice.
Check out an example of how to do this from The British Heart Foundation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXCFcftkric