If you’ve ever had your blood pressure checked at the doctor’s office, it was probably done while you were sitting in a chair.
But new research suggests that measuring blood pressure while lying down could give doctors a better picture of your heart health — and even help predict your risk for heart attacks or strokes.
This finding surprised many experts, who now believe that how we measure blood pressure might need to change in the future.
Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of heart health. It shows how hard your heart is working to pump blood through your body. Doctors usually measure it using a cuff that tightens around your arm.
The reading gives two numbers: systolic pressure (the higher number), which shows the pressure when your heart beats, and diastolic pressure (the lower number), which shows the pressure when your heart rests between beats.
Traditionally, doctors take this reading while patients are sitting down. This method has worked well for decades, but some experts say it might not always give the full picture.
Ideally, the most accurate way to measure blood pressure is to use a 24-hour monitor that checks it throughout the day and night. However, most people find that uncomfortable and inconvenient.
In this new study, researchers wanted to know whether measuring blood pressure while lying down could offer similar insights into heart health. The study involved more than 11,000 adults who had their blood pressure taken both while sitting and lying flat.
The participants were divided into four groups: those with normal blood pressure in both positions, those with high blood pressure only when sitting, those with high blood pressure only when lying down, and those with high blood pressure in both positions.
Over several years of follow-up, the researchers found something unexpected. People who had normal blood pressure in both positions had the lowest risk of heart-related problems. Those with high blood pressure in both positions faced a much higher risk, as expected.
But what really surprised scientists was that people who had high blood pressure only while lying down also had nearly the same risk as those whose blood pressure was high in both positions.
That means some people who appear healthy when sitting might actually have hidden high blood pressure that only shows up when they lie down. These individuals were more likely to develop heart problems, strokes, or even die from cardiovascular causes compared to those with normal readings.
While this study opens new possibilities for early detection of heart risks, experts say it’s too soon to change how doctors measure blood pressure in everyday practice. For now, blood pressure readings taken while sitting remain the standard method used in clinics worldwide.
One detail to note is that participants in the study rested flat for about 20 minutes before their blood pressure was taken. That’s longer than what typically happens in a doctor’s office, where patients usually sit for just a few minutes before the test. More studies are needed to see if shorter resting times would show the same results.
Still, this research could lead to better ways of identifying people at risk for heart disease who might otherwise go undiagnosed. It might also help fine-tune treatment for those who are already on blood pressure medication, ensuring that they get the right amount of care — not too much and not too little.
In the future, your doctor might ask you to lie down for a few minutes before checking your blood pressure. It’s a simple change that could one day make a big difference in detecting and preventing heart problems earlier.
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