I tracked my blood pressure with the Hilo wearable – this is what I learned

When the blood pressure tracker first arrived on my desk, I was intrigued. I recently tested it whoop mgThere’s a new version of the fitness tracker that can be attached to a blood pressure cuff, and I’ve seen Apple roll out new blood pressure monitoring features for its Watch.

It seems like the home medical testing boom has found a cozy companion with wearables. But, I thought to myself, as someone whose blood pressure is usually low, could this kind of health technology really help me?

health tracking promoters and biohackers There appears to be growing interest in monitoring blood pressure as an indicator of overall health. But unless you’re one of the millions of people in the UK who suffer from high blood pressure, most doctors would agree that this is a biometric you don’t really need to keep an eye on.

According to the British Heart Foundation, normal blood pressure readings are between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg. For those over 80 years of age, the ideal is less than 150/90 mmHg. While Heart Research UK estimates that around 30 per cent of adults have high blood pressure, the British Heart Foundation estimates that another five million people may not know they have high blood pressure.

If you’re interested in knowing what your blood pressure is and tracking it, I can see how a device like a monitor at home could come in handy. Although a device cannot reverse symptoms by itself, it can be an indicator that your blood pressure is high.

Reducing high blood pressure can help reduce the chance of stroke and heart attack. Blood pressure tends to rise with age due to the natural hardening and thickening of the arteries – a process known as arteriosclerosis – but this increase is not inevitable and can be managed.

With UK hypertension statistics and my own health in mind, I put a brand new tracker to the test to see how much easier it could make tracking at home. I wanted to find out how effective the biofeedback and data I collected could be in supporting better health and lifestyle choices.

how i tested

I wore the Hilo tracker for two months, regularly monitoring my blood pressure levels and allowing the app to gather data and build a clear picture of what was happening with my BP levels. To test its accuracy, I cross-referenced the results with the traditional cuff-style monitor I used at home, and with readings collected at two different doctor appointments. I also looked at the band’s design, the app’s user experience, and the various options for tracking and recording daily behavior, habits, food consumed, and how comfortable the device felt while wearing it.

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emily lavinia Is The Independent’Fitness and Wellbeing Editor. Having reported on health and wellness for over a decade, she has extensive knowledge of wearable technology and fitness devices. Emily regularly reports on longevity, biohacking, and ways to reduce stress and tests everything from yoga mats and sleep aids to the best health wearables for IndieBest.