The short answer
Use an upper-arm machine that has been validated for accuracy. Sit quietly with your back supported and your arm resting on a table, take two readings at least a minute apart, and do this morning and evening. To check for high blood pressure, NICE advises at least four days and ideally seven, ignoring the first day and averaging the rest. At home, an average of 135/85 or higher counts as high. You cannot check blood pressure properly with your fingers, a phone or without a machine.
High blood pressure care with your own GPMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Step by step
- 1
Sit and rest
Sit quietly for a few minutes with your back supported and feet flat, in a room that is neither hot nor cold.
- 2
Fit the cuff
Put the cuff on your bare upper arm, with your arm outstretched and resting on a table.
- 3
Take two readings
Stay still and quiet. Take one reading, wait at least a minute, then take another, and write both down with the time.
- 4
Morning and evening
Repeat every morning and evening for as many days as your doctor asks: NICE advises at least four, ideally seven, when checking for high blood pressure.
- 5
Share the average
Ignore the first day's readings, average the rest, and bring the full list to your doctor or video review.
Choosing a machine
Choose an automatic machine with a cuff that goes around the upper arm, in the right size for your arm. STRIDE BP keeps a free list of monitors that have passed accuracy tests, and the devices it prefers are all upper-arm cuffs. Check your model is on it before you buy. If you have an irregular heartbeat, tell your doctor: NICE notes that automatic machines may not read accurately when the pulse is irregular.
The first time
NICE advises measuring both arms when high blood pressure is first being looked for. If one arm keeps reading more than 15 higher than the other, use that arm from then on.
What the numbers mean
A reading has two numbers: the top (systolic) when the heart pumps, and the bottom (diastolic) when it rests. For home readings:
- Below 135/85: the home target NICE gives for adults under 80 on treatment
- 135/85 or higher on average: counts as high at home, and needs a doctor to confirm and plan
- Home readings run about 5 lower than clinic readings, which is why the home threshold is lower than the clinic's 140/90
- One high reading is not a diagnosis: the average over several days is what counts
Very high readings
If you get 180/120 or higher, sit quietly for a few minutes and measure again. If it is still that high and you feel well, speak to a doctor as soon as possible, the same day if you can: NICE advises tests within days, not at your next routine review. If it comes with any of the signs below, it is an emergency. Do not stop or change your medicines because of a home reading without speaking to your doctor.
Go to a hospital now
Call 112 or go to an emergency department straight away if you have:
- Chest pain or pressure that does not go away, or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back
- Chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headed or short of breath
- Sudden weakness of the face, arm or leg, slurred speech or confusion
- A very high reading with new confusion, breathlessness or a change in your vision
Common questions
Can I check my blood pressure without a machine?
No. Your pulse can be felt with your fingers, but blood pressure needs a cuff and a machine. Phones and watches without a cuff are not a substitute.
What is a normal blood pressure reading at home?
Below 135/85 is the home figure NICE uses. Your own doctor may set a different target, for example if you have diabetes or kidney disease.
When is the best time to check my blood pressure?
Morning and evening, at about the same times each day, as NICE advises. Follow your own doctor if they ask for a different routine.
Can a doctor manage my blood pressure from my home readings?
Yes. A GP on Mezo reviews your readings by video, orders your tests, writes your prescription and books your next review, and sees you in person when something needs examining.
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Your readings deserve a doctor who reads them
With a named GP on Mezo, your blood pressure is reviewed by video on the schedule the guideline sets, your tests are ordered for you, and your treatment is adjusted until you reach target.
See high blood pressure careSources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management (NG136). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Blood pressure test. NHS. Patient information.
- High blood pressure (hypertension). NHS. Patient information.
- Validated blood pressure monitors. STRIDE BP. Official publication.
- Guideline for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults. World Health Organization, 2021. Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 29 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.