Around 45% of U.S. adults should be monitoring their blood pressure at home, according to a study in the journal Hypertension, because nearly 93% of people who register one high blood pressure reading in their doctor's office turn out to have healthy blood pressure when they measure it over time at home.

On the other hand, quite a few have blood pressure that is lower at the doctor’s office than when measured at home.

But how do you get an accurate reading at home?

• Buy a validated blood pressure machine (check that out at validatedbp.org). You don’t need to pay a lot; the fancy bells and whistles are purely extra.

• Before you start, empty your bladder. And wait at least 30 minutes after smoking, consuming caffeine or alcohol, or exercising. Better yet, do it first thing in the morning and then avoid caffeine and alcohol for an accurate late-day reading.

• Take your blood pressure on a bare arm. Sit comfortably with your arm supported so it's near the height of your heart.

• Wrap the cuff so it is secure but not overly tight.

• Sit quietly, both feet flat on the floor, no TV, music, reading, or phone.

Now you’re ready to hit the start button. Keep a log of morning and night readings for at least a week.

To avoid developing high blood pressure, dive into the healthy lifestyle information available at LongevityPlaybook.com.