Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day, and it can be informative to take readings often.
Several tech companies have designed blood pressure monitor watches and fitness trackers that give you the freedom to take measurements as often as you choose to, even on the go. Some of these devices also count steps or monitor sleep patterns. A few even tell time.
To replicate the readings provided by upper arm blood pressure monitors, some watches include instructions to keep your wrist on your heart during readings. Following these instructions helps to ensure you’ll get the most accurate reading possible.
A good way to test your watch’s accuracy is to compare its readings with those received in a medical setting. You can do this by taking your watch with you to a doctor’s appointment and testing yourself immediately after getting an upper arm cuff reading.
Summary:
Blood pressure monitor watches may provide accurate readings, although this hasn’t been proven in large-scale studies.
To get the most accurate, consistent results, it may make sense to choose a watch designed specifically for this purpose, rather than a fitness tracker that includes this feature.
Blood pressure monitor watches may have benefits for people who wish to test their readings several times a day.
Fitness trackers with this feature may have value for people who wish to track their blood pressure and heart rate before and after exercising.
If you have a health condition such as hypertension, don’t rely on wrist monitors exclusively for your readings. No watch takes the place of monitoring by a healthcare professional.