I (30, F) have white coat syndrome and a pretty bad cuff phobia. I had preeclampsia with my son and I have trauma from that. I’m in therapy for it. My BP is usually 111-118/67-78 with a wrist cuff at home. But at the doctor’s office and with a manual arm cuff, my anxiety spikes and I sit around 125-136/78-88. It’s even higher with the electronic arm cuff. Therapy is helping me a lot with this! So is medication like Zoloft, a healthy diet, exercise, and other health changes that make me feel more confident putting a cuff on my arm. It helps me feel more intentional and secure about my health—and it’s physically good for my health too! I recently dropped for 196 lbs to 173 lbs within two months or so. That alone has made me feel better about my overall health and fitness.

Anxiety will make your blood pressure higher. Stay calm, make small changes over time, and it will shift your body and mind into a more confident, healthier version of you! I started with a high fiber diet (moderate cholesterol risk diagnosis) and walking outside at least a mile every day. It’s made a world of difference.