Blood Pressure: Does It Have A Daily Pattern?

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure can be categorized into five different types include normal, elevated, hypertension stage I, hypertension stage II, and hypertensive crisis. Blood pressure is the force applied by the blood over the inner walls of the arteries. Although the average blood pressure for a person remains constant, it shows minor fluctuations throughout the day declining while relaxing and momentarily increasing while being excited or under stress. An increase in resting blood pressure can scar, stiffen, or harden the arteries. Blood pressure is written as systolic and diastolic values. Hence, BP 120/80 mm Hg means 120 is the systolic number, and 80 is the diastolic number. High blood pressure is more likely to cause:

Heart attack
Stroke
Heart failure
Vision loss
Kidney failure
Dementia
Erectile dysfunction

Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while sleeping.

How can I lower my blood pressure in 5 minutes?

If your blood pressure is elevated and you want to see an immediate change, lie down and take deep breaths. This is how you lower your blood pressure within minutes, helping to slow your heart rate and decrease your blood pressure. When you feel stress, hormones are released that constrict your blood vessels.

When should we check BP?

At the beginning, measure your blood pressure at least twice daily. Take it first in the morning before eating or taking any medications. Take it again in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are the same.

Blood pressure has a daily pattern

Usually, blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before a person wakes up. It continues to rise during the day, peaking in midday. Blood pressure typically drops in the late afternoon and evening. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while sleeping. The blood pressure measurement at night is called nocturnal blood pressure. Examples of an irregular blood pressure pattern include:

High blood pressure during the night
High blood pressure early in the morning
Less than 10% drop in blood pressure overnight (nondipping blood pressure)

An irregular blood pressure pattern could also mean that you have:

Poorly controlled high blood pressure
Obstructive sleep apnea
Kidney disease
Diabetes
Thyroid disease
A nervous system disorder

Poor diet, lack of exercise and certain lifestyle factors can affect blood pressure pattern, including:

Night-shift work
Smoking
Overweight or obesity
Stress and anxiety

Your health care provider can tell you if an irregular daily blood pressure pattern needs treatment. Sometimes, a person's blood pressure rises simply when seeing a care provider. This is called whitecoat hypertension. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring test that can be done to measure blood pressure at regular time periods over 24 hours. It provides a detailed look at blood pressure changes over an average day and night.