My tips to get into the habit of taking one’s blood pressure regularly

This blog post is sponsored by OMRON and all opinions are the writer’s.

I’ve shared before how lucky I feel I am because I’m nearly the only person in my family with normal blood pressure.

My father, my mother, my brother and one of my sisters all have high blood pressure and need to control it with medication.

They all take their blood pressure frequently. Daily, in the case of my dad. He had quadruple coronary bypass surgery five years ago.

In addition to having high blood pressure, my mother had a stroke at the age of 28.

At 56 I am adamant about doing my part to keep mine within a normal range. Having a family history of coronary issues puts me at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure at some point.

My husband also has numbers within the normal range for his age. And yet, we both do our best to make sure we stay healthy.

Here are some things I do every day to make sure I stay on track with my good health journey:

• Run or practice yoga. I became a certified yoga instructor with 500 hours of training this past year, and it changed my life. I am less stressed in general and I have a more mindful approach towards sports and exercise.

• Make sure I sleep enough. I need eight hours to feel well-rested, and if I don’t get them during the night I will take a nap, since I work from home. I know this is not possible for everyone, but maybe you can relax in your car for a bit during your lunch break if you work at an office.

• Don’t add extra salt when cooking and try to eat plenty of fresh veggies daily.

• Take my blood pressure weekly to make sure I’m staying within a normal range for my age.

• Spend time in nature. Sometimes that means simply stepping out to the back yard, other days I go to the beach since I live in Florida. But it could be simply walking to a local park or tending to plants on your window sill.

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.

How to get into the habit of measuring your blood pressure regularly

One way to make sure that doesn’t happen to you is to get into the habit of taking your blood pressure on a regular basis and keeping a log of it.

Here are three steps you can follow to make it easy for you:

1.- Pick a moment in your daily routine that’s easy to stick to, like after taking a shower or reading the newspaper.

2.- Find a quiet and calm space where you can take your blood pressure without any distractions.

3.- Give yourself an incentive every time you stick to this routine. It could be listening to a favorite song, eating a healthy snack or sharing it with an accountability buddy to cheer you on.

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’m teaming up with OMRON Healthcare for a 90-day journey to build heart-healthy habits.

During these next 90 days, I will be using OMRON’s latest innovation, HeartGuide, the first wearable blood pressure monitor, to monitor my blood pressure at home.

Throughout my journey I will keep you updated on my learnings and my experience with OMRON’s heart health technology.

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.