After the rush of setting New Year’s resolutions in January, February and March become the time when people either drop off or double-down on their goals.
Some of the most common resolutions are to exercise more often, eat healthier, and lose weight. These goals involve taking charge of your health and, in particular, improving health markers for people with hypertension. Here’s one thing that can make it easier to stick to your resolutions: regularly monitoring your blood pressure.
Let’s talk about the ways that monitoring your blood pressure can give you a road map that helps you turn resolutions into lifelong habits.
How to use blood pressure readings to support your New Year’s resolutions
You might have heard prominent thought-leaders, such as James Clear and Tim Ferris, advocate for tracking your daily habits to hold yourself accountable to your goals. In terms of your health, some common markers to track include steps, calorie intake, and sleep quality.
But a marker that people might overlook is taking regular blood pressure readings. In fact, your blood pressure can support your resolutions by giving you insights into how your daily activities affect your health.
That’s because your blood pressure can help you identify (and address) underlying health issues that may be impacting the way you feel. For instance, let’s say your resolution is to sleep better. High blood pressure readings may be a sign that you aren’t sleeping well, which means you may want to try different ways to improve sleep quality-or talk to your doctor about screening you for sleep apnoea.1, 2
How daily habits impact blood pressure
Daily blood pressure readings can also be a motivational tool to help you track your progress and stay on course. Is your resolution to eat healthier in the new year? Lifestyle changes such as drinking more water and reducing salt intake can lead to lower blood pressure readings you can measure within a day.
That’s because a ton of factors impact how hard your heart has to work to pump blood. For example, having a lot of salt in your diet makes your body hold onto water, which can lead to extra pressure in your blood vessel walls.3 Cutting back on high-sodium foods, like fast food and heavily processed snacks, can tilt your blood pressure numbers in a healthy direction.
While it’s tempting to go with the “all-or-nothing” mentality when you’re chasing a resolution, you don’t have to change everything about your daily routine all at once. Taking regular blood pressure readings allows you to see how even the smallest choices affect your numbers.
Here are a few examples of healthy habits that can lower your blood pressure over time:
| Resolution | Habits |
| Exercise more often | – Go on a 10-minute walk after meals – Pick one day to attend a fitness class online or in-person – Park farther away from entrances to stores |
| Eat healthier | – Eat the protein on your plate first – Increase your fibre intake with vegetables and berries – Cut back on high-sodium foods, like fast food and cured meats |
| Lose weight | – Drink plenty of water throughout the day – Pick one day a week to exercise, then add more days over time – Replace one meal out with a meal at home |
| Cut back on alcohol | – Replace one beverage with sparkling water or a low-sugar, non-alcoholic drink – Identify when you want to drink (like after work) and fill that time with another activity, like a new hobby or fitness class |
How to track your blood pressure
You don’t have to make multiple visits to a clinic in order to track your blood pressure. You can take your readings in the comfort of your own home.
People are most familiar with a cuff-based device, but this tool isn’t ideal when you’re taking regular blood pressure readings; for the most accurate result, you actually want to take measurements several times a day, using a cuff that’s sized and placed appropriately.
That’s a lot of time-consuming steps. Newer blood pressure monitoring technology is designed to fit into your daily routine and make it easier to keep track of the ways your lifestyle choices help you take care of your heart-and it all starts on your wrist.
Aktiia is a 24/7 blood pressure monitoring wearable that automatically collects your readings in an easy-to-use app. It only measures your blood pressure at the most optimal moments, and it gives you an average of over 70 readings per week.
All of that means you’ll have a bevy of accurate data about your heart health that you can review directly from your phone.
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The bottom line
Whatever your resolution is this year, monitoring key health indicators like blood pressure can keep you focused and responsible. Keeping tabs on your blood pressure helps you see how lifestyle changes, such as daily walks and cutting back on salt, support your overall heart health.
With Aktiia, you can easily begin tracking your blood pressure and compiling data for your personal profile, ensuring you get the most accurate perspective. Learn more about why frequent blood pressure monitoring is important.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice or a diagnosis. For any health-related concerns or decisions, including those related to blood pressure monitoring and lifestyle changes, it’s essential to consult with a qualified healthcare professional.
Sources:
Effect of Sleep Disturbances on Blood Pressure, American Heart Association, 22 Feb 2021 – https://www.ahajournals.org/doi-HYPERTENSIONAHA
How Does Sleep Affect Your Heart Health?, CDC, 4 Jan 2021 – https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure-sleep
Salt and your blood pressure, Blood Pressure UK, 27 Jan 2021 – https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/how-to-lower-your-blood-pressure-salt-and-your-blood-pressure
