Sit quietly for 5 minutes before measuring
Keep your feet flat on the floor
Rest your back against a chair
Place your arm on a flat surface at heart level
Use the correct cuff size
Wrap the cuff on bare skin, not over clothing
Do not talk or move during the reading
Take two readings, 1 minute apart
Record the systolic and diastolic numbers
Measure at the same time each day
Follow your doctor’s instructions for how often to check
Bring your readings to medical appointments
Seek medical help if readings are very high or low as directed by your doctor