Where would I find Is blood pressure higher at night or in the morning??

Your blood pressure is the measurement of force placed on the walls of your arteries as blood moves through your system. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, means that your heart works harder to pump blood throughout your body, which can put additional strain on the heart.

High blood pressure can also make your arteries lose their elasticity, causing them to harden and thicken, which can lead to serious medical issues like heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

A blood pressure cuff is used to measure your blood pressure. First, it determines your systolic blood pressure, which measures pressure on the arteries when the heart contracts.

The second is diastolic blood pressure, a reading of the pressure when your heart relaxes in between beats.

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.

Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day for several reasons, but it’s helpful to know what to expect and when your fluctuating blood pressure might be abnormal.

Circadian rhythms

Your blood pressure is strongly influenced by your body’s circadian rhythms, including your natural sleep cycle. Your circadian rhythm is connected to the master clock in your brain which regulates your body function throughout the day.

As the sun goes down and it gets dark, your master clock tells you it’s time to go to bed and get some rest. In contrast, when the sun is up, your master clock makes sure you have enough energy to stay alert and go about your day. Your heart rate and blood pressure will adjust according to this pattern,¹ so it’s normal for your blood pressure to dip while you sleep and rise throughout the day.

Physical activity

Being active and exercising regularly helps reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure in the long term. For people with diagnosed hypertension, exercise has been found to cause a blood pressure dip called postc-exercise hypotension (PEH).

You might notice your blood pressure reading change slightly during or after exercise. This is normal, but a significant change could suggest you have hypertensive response to exercise (HRE).² In HRE, blood pressure in normal, healthy people elevates significantly with exercise (systolic blood pressure rises to 210mm Hg for men and 190mm Hg for women or higher). HRE is thought to be an early warning sign for developing hypertension.

Nervousness and stress

When you feel nervous or stressed, your body enters “fight or flight” mode and releases more of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. When this happens, your heart rate rises and your blood vessels narrow (vasoconstriction), raising your blood pressure temporarily. This is a normal response from your body.

White-coat syndrome

Have you ever wondered why your blood pressure reading is normal at home and rises at the doctors? This is white-coat syndrome, and it occurs when you feel stressed about visiting your doctor or being in a clinical environment. A high reading caused by white-coat syndrome doesn’t always mean you have hypertension.

Eating and drinking

Consuming food and drink affects your blood pressure, with some foods having more of an influence than others. While it’s normal for blood pressure to drop slightly when you are digesting food after a meal, caffeine³ and foods containing added sugar⁴ have been shown to temporarily elevate blood pressure.

Blood pressure is usually not highest in the morning. In this article, I’ll explain more about blood pressure patterns. I’ll talk about why your blood pressure might sometimes be higher in the morning, and whether it’s dangerous.

I’ll also discuss some risk factors for morning hypertension, as well as its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. I’ll also outline some prevention strategies, and tell you when to talk to your doctor.

Your blood pressure and many other body systems have a daily rhythm. Blood pressure drops to its lowest levels while you are asleep. A few hours before it is time to wake up, it starts to rise.

However, morning is not the time of day when blood pressure should be highest.Normal blood pressure rhythms peak in the middle of the day, dropping again in the late afternoon and evening.

If you are concerned about or have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you should measure your blood pressure at several different times of day to identify patterns. If your blood pressure tends to be higher in the morning, you should talk to your doctor, because this is abnormal.

Abnormal blood pressure patterns can indicate certain causes of hypertension or other cardiovascular risk factors.

Abnormal blood pressure patterns can be detected by taking blood pressure readings at different times of the day, including:

Keep in mind that exercise, caffeine, and stress can lead to short-term increases in blood pressure. When you take a reading, try to be as calm and still as possible, with your arms and legs uncrossed. Avoid checking your blood pressure immediately after exercise or if you have just experienced a very stressful event.

Certain medical conditions can lead to higher blood pressure in the morning. These include:

Some medications can lead to changes in your blood pressure. If your high blood pressure medication is not dosed correctly or is not effective, it can lead to higher morning readings.

If you are on blood pressure medication that does not control your morning levels, your doctor may want to reassess your dosage or switch you to a different medication.

Certain lifestyle factors can lead to higher blood pressure in the morning.

These include:

Elevated blood pressure in the morning is not an immediate sign of danger, unless your blood pressure levels exceed 180/120 mm Hg. Levels higher than this are considered a hypertensive urgency and should be evaluated by a doctor.

High blood pressure together with a headache, weakness, chest pain, or shortness of breath can be a serious emergency that requires immediate medical care, so if that occurs, please go to the ER.

Higher BP in the morning can be a sign that you are at higher risk for blood clotting, heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular disease. It may also lead to changes in the brain.

If you notice a consistent pattern of having higher blood pressures in the morning, your physician will want to set a plan to address it to protect your long-term health and decrease possible complications down the road.

You may be at higher risk for morning hypertension if you take certain medications, have uncontrolled hypertension, or have an abnormal sleep pattern. This can happen due to untreated sleep apnea, diabetes, or as a result of night shift work.

Other risk factors include:

Your blood pressure is regulated as part of your circadian rhythm, so if your sleep patterns are off balance, it can lead to changes in your normal blood pressure. Stress and anxiety can also worsen this effect, especially if those are chronic issues for you.

Symptoms of high blood pressure in the morning include consistent readings that are higher than 120/80 within a few hours of waking up.

If your healthcare provider has asked you to monitor blood pressure at home, or you are doing it proactively, let your provider know if your morning readings tend to be high.

Your doctor may diagnose you with high blood pressure if your readings are 130/80 or higher at any time of the day on at least two separate readings a month apart.

If your levels are higher than 120/80 but lower than 130/80, your health care provider may tell you that you have elevated blood pressure, or pre-hypertension, and you may need to monitor your levels more closely.

You may have temporary increases in blood pressure, including an occasional morning BP surge. Your doctor will be looking for a consistent pattern of fluctuations that are outside of the normal range.

High morning blood pressure is treated similarly to general hypertension. If you are already on blood pressure medication, your doctor may adjust your dosage to help prevent a morning surge.

If you do not already take BP medication, your doctor may prescribe something to keep your levels more balanced.

You cannot always prevent high blood pressure, but healthy lifestyle adjustments can help. Getting regular physical activity, adequate sleep, avoiding excessive intake of alcohol, and not smoking all support healthy blood pressure.

Eating a diet that is lower in sodium and staying properly hydrated may also help.

You should see a doctor if your morning blood pressure readings are higher than 120/80 or you have other concerns about stress, lifestyle, or other factors that could be influencing your blood pressure.

Untreated high blood pressure may lead to harmful effects on your long-term health.

K Health offers affordable and convenient access to highly qualified doctors to treat and manage high blood pressure, as long as you are not having a hypertensive crisis.

You can meet with your K Health doctor from the comfort of your own home via the K Health app, all while knowing that you’re getting individualized and expert care.

Your blood pressure follows a pattern, rising a while before you wake up. It is the highest at midday and tends to drop in the evening or late afternoon. Your nighttime blood pressure is typically lower than in the morning or the afternoon.

The blood pressure reading you get at night is your nocturnal blood pressure.

If your blood pressure is consistently too high or too low, it can be a sign of kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid diseases, or obstructive sleep apnea.

However, irregular blood pressure is not always associated with diseases. Your blood pressure may be higher or lower than it should be due to lifestyle factors, such as smoking, stress, anxiety, night-shift work, and obesity.

If you get a consistent abnormal blood pressure reading, speak to your doctor.

The recommendations are to take your blood pressure twice a day, in the evening and the morning. Take two readings each time, a minute apart.

If there's too big a difference between the readings, space them apart even more. It's best to create a routine and stick to it daily. It will help you see a pattern in your results.