lifestyle linking blood pressure

Last week became a week where I was highly motivated to test my blood pressure. It started by attending a Kaiser.org doctor talk on blood pressure, I was keen to see the characteristics of the people that attended. At the end of the talk, you got the option to test your blood pressure with a machine you can buy for your home for $30.

I took up that offer and found that my blood pressure was sitting high, two above the normal zone. I have never posted a high reading before and the Kaiser.org representative started realing of a list of lifestyle factors like, do you exercise, I do but more like three times a month at present than the three times a week. So, she suggested I do some more exercise and check the reading in 2 months.

My background thoughts on blood pressure it that I am always surprised its not higher given the entrepreneurial start up stress and driven lifestyle I live. So, maybe it had caught up with me this time? The next few days, I am busy and take my blood pressure reading a Longs Drug stores, Alberston's and Safeways supermarkets, very convenient and easy to use. I don't think I had noticed the machines in the stores before. The blood pressure reading trended downwards. I get to Saturday and eventually get some exercise in at the swimming pool. So, I pop in to get a reading, 3 hours after swimming, 101 over 68 . Well under the normal zone of 120 over 80. And that is were it remains.

I started to think to figure out the lifestyle linking correlations that may have led to this high blood pressure reading? Well, the day of the first reading was extremely hot. I had decided not to take my water bottle with me and due to a mix up on the bus, I spent 3 hours in a hot bus getting to the Kaiser.org meeting. I have since learnt that blood pressure increases with dehydration. Another significant factor was that I was nearing the end of a busy spell of 5-6am rises and late to bed days. (burning the candle light at both ends) so does a lack of sleep increase blood pressure? The last reading came after my first good nights sleep. I have been training hard at swimming post the last reading, how will that impact my blood pressure?

The real important lesson/message I take from this story? The immediate feedback I received was not helpful, they had no context of my day and it felt like (though a positive desire to provide helpful information on a high reading) they heightened my initial concern in the reading.

Talking your blood pressure can be real easy and convenient, 1 minutre of your time.

I am the best person to decide on my self education needs and requirements.

I will be self motivated to act, when I believe a change of behavior is in my own short and long term self interest.