When it comes to monitoring and managing their health, most people focus on limited bits of data such as the number on the scale and the number of steps they get in each day.

While keeping track of these numbers can help you get an idea of how you’re doing from a health and fitness standpoint, it’s also important to pay attention to what’s going on internally, specifically regarding your heart rate and blood pressure.

Monitoring these numbers on a regular basis — not just at your annual physical — can help you get a good idea of how intense your workouts are, how aerobically fit you are, and whether or not you’re at risk for any diseases.

Read on to learn more about the importance of consistently monitoring your heart rate and blood pressure.

Benefits of Monitoring Heart Rate

Monitoring your heart rate on a consistent basis can tell you a lot about your workouts and your overall heart health. Some of the specific benefits that come with frequent monitoring include:

Control Workout Intensity

Tracking your heart rate while exercising can help you get a good idea of just how hard you’re working. In fact, monitoring your heart rate is the best way to calculate how many calories you’re burning during a workout.

Understanding your average calorie burn can help make sure you’re eating enough to sustain your active lifestyle, and it can help you avoid overeating because you thought you “earned” a treat after your workout.

Manage Stress

A heart rate monitor can also help you identify other factors besides exercise that influence your heart rate. For example, your afternoon cup of coffee or a stressful meeting could send your pulse skyrocketing.

By becoming aware of these kinds of triggers, you can work to manage your stress and avoid these unnecessary spikes throughout the day.

Measure Aerobic Fitness

Monitoring your heart rate can also give you a good idea of your overall aerobic fitness level. Generally speaking, a normal resting heart rate falls somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

Benefits of Monitoring Blood Pressure

It’s important to know how many times your heart is beating each minute (heart rate), but it’s also important to understand your blood pressure, which is the amount of effort your heart is exerting to pump blood through your blood vessels.

Monitoring your blood pressure can also provide you with a lot of information about your internal health, including the following:

Whether or Not You Have Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, occurs when your heart is working too hard. High blood pressure puts a lot of strain on the heart and blood vessels and increases your risk of developing conditions like heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease.

Regular home monitoring is important for getting an accurate idea of whether or not your blood pressure is normal. If you only get your blood pressure checked once a year at the doctor’s office, you’re not getting an accurate picture of your overall heart health.

Monitoring Treatment Effectiveness

If you’ve been prescribed medicine to help lower your blood pressure, home monitoring is essential for making sure that medicine is doing its job.

Regular monitoring will give your doctor important data that he or she can use to determine whether or not they need to adjust your dosage or give you a different prescription.Catching Complications Early

If you’re in the habit of consistently monitoring your blood pressure, you’ll be able to tell right away if something out of the ordinary is going on. The sooner catch issues with your blood pressure (whether it’s lower or higher than normal), you sooner you can seek out the treatment you need to bring it back to where it should be.

Things to Consider When Monitoring Heart Rate and Blood Pressure at Home

Monitoring your heart rate and blood pressure at home is a great way to stay on top of your health. But, it’s important to keep these tips in mind to make sure you’re getting the most accurate measurements:

• Use a high-quality blood pressure monitor or stethoscope with sphygmomanometer to get accurate readings

• Take measurements at the same time each day

• Take note of other symptoms (dizziness, sweating, etc.) that you’re experiencing at the same time

• Position yourself properly (sitting up straight or lying down) and be still

• Keep accurate records

• Avoid smoking or drinking caffeine before taking measurements and make sure your bladder is empty

• Avoid taking measurements over clothing

Final Thoughts

There are lots of benefits that come with consistently monitoring your blood pressure and heart rate. Start measuring your numbers today, and be sure to keep these tips in mind to make sure your data is as accurate as possible.