This blog post is sponsored by OMRON and all opinions are the writer’s.
I‘m at the end of a 90-day journey with OMRON to form a new health habit (monitoring my blood pressure regularly) to improve my heart health.
In this time, I’ve developed a new habit: taking my blood pressure daily, to stay on top of it, being that I have a family history of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Research shows that it takes up to 90 days of practice to form a habit and to make it part of one’s lifestyle. That’s why I teamed up with OMRON Healthcare for a 90-day journey to build heart-healthy habits.
Read also: My tips to get into the habit of taking your blood pressure regularly
How I take my blood pressure
I’ve been using OMRON’s latest innovation, HeartGuide, the first wearable blood pressure monitor, which stores my readings and keeps track of my physical activity.
When I first started this wellness journey, I was pretty stressed about the global situation, and was concerned about my family in Spain and California, so I took my blood pressure three times a day, as it fluctuated.
I would set an alarm at 10 am, 4 pm and 8 pm, and no matter where I was, I would take my blood pressure.
This device is pretty nifty so it allows for an easy reading no matter where you are.
As time went by, I changed how often I measured my numbers. I knew I’d built a daily, attainable habit, and for the last stretch of my journey, I monitored it once a day, at 4.30 pm.
The reason for that was that my blood pressure readings came to be pretty consistent, and within the normal range. Stepping up my meditation and relaxation practices helped a lot to deal with stress.
I still made it a point to reward myself for taking my blood pressure and get out in nature regularly. Besides our backyard, there is a park nearby, where my family and I can go walk or run, far from other people.
Let me tell you, it felt good to hug a tree!
In the last weeks of my journey, I decided to make one last change to my routine. I set the alarm on my device to take my blood pressure in the evening, as a part of my bedtime routine.
Tying the activity of measuring my numbers as a part of unwinding at night has helped me do it almost without thinking. Plus it feels like a reward, after a day of hard work, family time and exercise.
However, I really like the fact that, if I want to, I can still take my blood pressure anywhere, from the parking lot to the park, in practically any situation.
I’ve been telling my dad about my positive experience, since he needs to monitor his blood pressure daily per doctor’s orders. He’s excited about trying HeartGuide out too.
The importance of knowing your blood pressure numbers
The American Heart Association (AHA) announced a reclassification of guidelines for high blood pressure in November 2017.
These updated guidelines lowered the threshold for hypertension from 140/90 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg.
This means that over 103 million Americans are now classified as hypertensive under the new guidelines. Of these, nearly 13 million are not even aware that they are hypertensive.
There are two ways most people learn they are hypertensive: their condition is revealed by monitoring their blood pressure, or they suffer a cardiac event like a heart attack or stroke.
About OMRON Healthcare Inc.
OMRON Healthcare, Inc. is the global category leader in personal heart health and wellness technology, with a heritage of more than 40 years.
OMRON is the #1 doctor and pharmacist recommended home blood pressure monitor brand on the market, and the brand is known for its clinically validated accuracy.
The company is passionate about empowering people to take charge of their health at home through precise heart health technology. OMRON Healthcare’s mission is Going for Zero, the elimination of heart attack and stroke.
Going for Zero drives everything OMRON does as a company, including the technological advancements to its medical devices that keep OMRON the global leader of the category.
For more information about the company, visit omronhealthcare.com.
Delfín Carbonell
I have been monitoring my blood pressure for over 5 months, every day, early in the morning, using an OMRON device, although not as fancy as yours. It is indeed a good idea.
Viva Fifty
It’s a great device!