Patient guide
How to check your blood pressure at home
Home readings are only useful if they're accurate — and small things like a full bladder, a cup of coffee or crossing your legs can change the result enough to matter. Here's how to take a reading you and your clinician can trust.
Medically reviewed by Dr Michael Gough, Medical Director, GMC 7263528 · Last reviewed 28 July 2026
Taking your reading, step by step
Avoid caffeine, food, exercise and smoking first
Don't drink caffeine or smoke for 30 minutes before your reading, and avoid eating, exercising or taking medication beforehand. All of these temporarily raise blood pressure and will make your reading look higher than it really is.
Empty your bladder
A full bladder can add around 10 mmHg to your reading. Go to the toilet before you start.
Use a validated upper-arm monitor
Only use a validated machine with a cuff that fits the top half of your arm. Finger and wrist monitors are not recommended — they are far less accurate. Place the cuff on bare skin, or over thin fabric, and make sure it sits at heart level.
Sit properly
Sit with both feet flat on the floor — not crossed — with your back supported and your arm supported on a table. Slouching or holding your arm up changes the result.
Sit quietly for five minutes
Rest for five minutes before taking your reading, then stay still and silent while the machine works. Talking and moving both affect accuracy.
Take three readings, one to two minutes apart
Measure at the same time each day, whenever is convenient for you. Take three measurements one to two minutes apart. The first is often the highest — most guidance uses the average of the second and third.
What your reading means
Blood pressure is written as two numbers — systolic (the higher, when your heart beats) over diastolic (the lower, when it rests), measured in mmHg. Home readings run slightly lower than clinic ones, so the thresholds below are the home figures.
| Reading | Range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Below 120/80 mmHg | Ideal. Keep checking as your clinician advises. |
| Normal to slightly raised | 120/80 – 134/84 mmHg | Common, and usually managed with lifestyle. Worth mentioning at your next review. |
| Slightly high | 135/85 – 149/94 mmHg | Above the home-reading threshold for high blood pressure. Tell your clinician. |
| High | 150/95 mmHg or above | Contact your clinician or GP. Treatment may need reviewing. |
One high reading on its own usually isn't a problem — blood pressure moves throughout the day. It's the pattern across several days that matters, which is why we ask for readings at the same time each day.
Why we ask Evernu patients to check
If you're on testosterone replacement therapy, blood pressure is part of your routine monitoring — testosterone can raise both blood pressure and haematocrit, so your clinician tracks it alongside your blood results. If you're on a weight-loss treatment, blood pressure often improves as weight comes down, and home readings show that progress between reviews.
Bring your readings to your next consultation, or send them to the clinical team through your account.
Common questions
What is a normal blood pressure reading at home?
At home, below 135/85 mmHg is generally considered normal. Home readings run slightly lower than clinic readings, which is why the home threshold for high blood pressure (135/85) is lower than the clinic one (140/90).
Which arm should I use to measure blood pressure?
Use the same arm every time so your readings are comparable. If you have never checked before, measure both arms once — if they differ, use the arm with the higher reading from then on.
Why is my first blood pressure reading always highest?
It is normal for the first reading to be the highest, because your body is still settling. This is why you take three readings one to two minutes apart and use the average of the second and third.
Are wrist blood pressure monitors accurate?
Wrist and finger monitors are not recommended. They are more sensitive to position and generally less accurate than a validated upper-arm cuff monitor.
How often should I check my blood pressure on testosterone or weight-loss treatment?
Follow the schedule your clinician gives you. Testosterone replacement therapy can raise blood pressure and haematocrit, so blood pressure is monitored as part of your reviews. Your clinician will tell you how often to check and what readings to report.
When should I be worried about a blood pressure reading?
Contact your clinician or GP if readings are consistently 150/95 mmHg or higher at home. Seek urgent medical help — call 999 — if you have a very high reading alongside chest pain, breathlessness, weakness on one side, or a severe headache with visual changes.
Worried about your levels?
Our clinicians review your bloods, symptoms and readings together — not one number in isolation. See what we treat and how it works.