What causes blood pressure to fluctuate many times during the day from “high” to relatively “normal”?
I am 74 years old, mildly overweight, don’t smoke or drink, eat extremely healthfully, get sufficient restful sleep, take no medications, am always busy reading, studying, etc. I know I have the "white coat syndrome" because my blood pressure goes over 180/95+ in the doctor’s office, so I got a portable blood pressure machine that has a wrist cuff and take my pressure eight or ten times a day. It can be anywhere from 185/95 to 132/75 and is never ever constant. I have tried breathing exercises which seem helpful. I do not want to take any medicines. I tried going off caffeine and salt for a couple of weeks, but that doesn’t matter—still fluctuates wildly. I would otherwise consider myself in very good health.
Tagged with: blood pressure machine • breathing exercises • good health • medications • medicines • restful sleep • sleep • white coat syndrome
Filed under: blood pressure causes
First, don’t take your blood pressure so many times in a day. You are going to stress yourself out about it.
At the doctors office, like you know, it is natural to have your BP go up. Many doctors will even tell you this. It is good that you got the machine for home, but try to limit yourself to 2 times a day (morning and evening). Like they say when weighing yourself, try to do it at the same time each day.
Your level of activity may have something to do with the fluctuation as well. The breathing exercises are good, regardless of BP issues. trying to cut out the caffeine and salt are also good. You might try getting a little more active. Reading and studying all the time are great, but you need to get some more exercise.
I wouldn’t worry about it if that is your only risk factor. You sound like a very healthy person.
sometimes it just depends on the activity you are doing throughout the day. if you are walking, exercising, etc, your BP will jump accordingly. if you are relaxing, it may drop. also, some people (especially older people) may have what is called orthostatic hypertension…this is where your BP is one reading while you are lying down (either low or high), changes dramatically when you sit up (either goes lower or higher) and changes dramatically again when you stand. it can also depend on the amount of fluids you take in – if one day you dont drink alot of fluids, your BP may drop, and on the other hand, if you drink alot of fluids, it may go up. your body could be just sensitive to subtle changes in fluid distribution, exercise/activity, sudden movements etc. you sound like you may be a good candidate for a BP med…even though you dont want to take them. have you tried the DASH diet (dietary approach to stop hypertension)? it is a diet that is lower in sodium and helps the BP go down. unfortunately, there are alot of people out there with idiopathic high BP, meaning that there is no known cause for the high BP, or for the changes in BP. you may be one of them. i would visit with your doc, even though you will experience ‘white coat syndrome’ and discuss options
Exercise, anxiety, activity, meditation, lots of different things have an effect on blood pressure. I don’t think its wide variance is as much a concern as the average readings.
I believe borderline normal is now considered 120/80, down from 140/80.
I understand that hyperinsulinemia contributes to high blood pressure. You may be interested in reading Barry Sears, Ph.D.’s book, "Entering the Zone" to get his take on how hyperinsulinemia is involved in aging, etc.
exercise in the morning is helpful, i use treadmill 40 minutes a day, no salt caffeine is okay, sugar is bad for blood pressure, you may have a touch of diabetes also!