Factor tags: the context behind a reading

Factor tags name known BP confounds so a pattern in your data tells you about biology, not measurement noise. They’re grouped:

• Activity — recent aerobic exertion can drop BP for hours afterward.
• Diet — sodium, large meals, caffeine, alcohol each shift readings on recognizable timelines.
• Sleep & stress — too little sleep is linked to higher BP; acute stress raises it through stress hormones like adrenaline; relaxed anchors the other end.
• Context — before/after meals, medication timing, illness, fever.
• Measurement — arm, body position, and quality flags (legs crossed, talking, full bladder, recent nicotine).

Tags are confirmed by you, never auto-applied. They turn raw numbers into something you and your doctor can interpret.

Sources

• ACSM: Exercise for the Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension
• Cleveland Clinic: Caffeine and Blood Pressure
• Tasnim et al.: Effect of Alcohol on Blood Pressure (Cochrane, 2020)
• CDC: Sodium and Health
• CDC: Sleep and Heart Health
• American Heart Association: Stress and Heart Health
• American Heart Association News: The rules for measuring blood pressure (2024)

Part of attensio's Learn reference. attensio is a personal wellness journal, not a medical device, and never offers medical advice.