# Trying Not to Suck at Monitoring Blood Pressure *My Better Than Nothing Approach* By [Trying Not to Suck at Life](https://paragraph.com/@trynotsuck) · 2024-08-19 longevity --- If you are serious about disease prevention, here's an important question for you: How often are you measuring your blood pressure? If your answer is once or twice a year at your doctor's visits, that's not enough. Many people don't check their blood pressure at all. Hypertension often presents no symptoms. Without frequent measurements, you may remain unaware of elevated blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. In this post, I will share my approach to monitoring my blood pressure, which may not be perfect but is better than nothing. The limitations of home blood pressure monitors ----------------------------------------------- Home blood pressure monitors, like automated cuffs, can be useful for frequent monitoring. However, there is room for user error, such as differences in arm positioning or inconsistent measurements. This can lead to inaccurate readings and lack of confidence in self-monitoring. Continuous blood pressure monitoring, similar to a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), would provide a comprehensive picture of blood pressure throughout the day. Unfortunately, such devices are not widely available, and FDA approval is pending in the US. Once approved, continuous blood pressure monitoring could revolutionize the way we monitor our blood pressure. My better than nothing approach ------------------------------- In the absence of continuous blood pressure monitoring, I have adopted a “better than nothing” approach to measuring my blood pressure more frequently. Instead of relying on home blood pressure monitors, I use a blood pressure measuring station called the [Higi](https://www.higi.com/), available at my local grocery store (Publix). The Higi station provides a consistent and reasonably accurate measurement of blood pressure. By sitting down and placing my arm in the cuff, I can easily measure my blood pressure. The Higi station also has an app that records and tracks my measurements over time. While one to two blood pressure measurements per year is not sufficient, I aim to use the Higi station at least once or twice a month. This frequency allows me to gather 15–20 data points per year. Although not optimal, it is better than the infrequent monitoring most people do. Building a monitoring habit --------------------------- To ensure consistent monitoring, I make it a routine to check my blood pressure on the Higi station before starting my grocery shopping. By doing this when I am relatively calm and not immediately after exercise, I can obtain more accurate readings. This habit helps me track my measurements over time and identify any potential issues sooner than later. If you do not have access to a Higi station, there may be similar machines located in nationwide pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS. It's worth taking the time to find a convenient one nearby. Recap: ------ * Most people do not check their blood pressure frequently enough * Home blood pressure monitors are available, but can be inconsistent without professional application * While continuous blood pressure monitoring would be ideal, using an in-store measuring station like Higi provides a better than nothing approach * By checking your blood pressure consistently and building a monitoring habit, you can gather enough data points to assess trends and take action if needed * * * More goodies... --------------- Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe at the bottom of the page, if you haven't already, to get the next one sent to you. I'll also keep you updated on other things I'm working on. You can also check out my info products linked below. Until next time, try not to suck at life. [View products](https://theleap.co/creator/trynotsuck/) --- *Originally published on [Trying Not to Suck at Life](https://paragraph.com/@trynotsuck/monitoring-blood-pressure)*