Blood pressure readings

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.

Watch how to measure your blood pressure at home (opens in new tab)