Health 31/10/2025 17:07

Are You Being Lied To About What Your Blood Pressure Should Be? — Read This Before You “Chase the Number”

What If Everything You’ve Been Told About “Normal” Blood Pressure Isn’t the Full Story?

For decades, we’ve all been taught that 120/80 mmHg is the “perfect” blood pressure — the gold standard for heart health. It’s printed on posters, repeated in doctor’s offices, and drilled into public awareness as the number to aim for.

But what if that number isn’t perfect for you? What if, in some cases, chasing it could actually cause more harm than good?

It sounds counterintuitive, but mounting evidence shows that blood pressure isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your body, age, and metabolism are unique — and the rigid pursuit of a single number for every human being, regardless of their circumstances, is an oversimplified and potentially dangerous idea.

This article isn’t about denying the very real risks of high blood pressure. It’s about challenging the culture of over-treatment — where we chase textbook targets instead of listening to our bodies. With insights inspired by internal medicine expert Dr. Suneel Dhand, let’s unpack what your numbers really mean, how modern medicine got too rigid, and how to take back control of your own cardiovascular health.

Key Takeaways

The “120/80” goal isn’t universal. Blood pressure naturally changes with age, health, and lifestyle. What’s optimal for a 25-year-old might be too low for a 75-year-old.
Over-treatment is real and risky. Forcing your blood pressure too low can cause dizziness, confusion, and even harm your brain and kidneys by restricting blood flow.
Your ideal pressure evolves with age. As arteries stiffen over time, slightly higher numbers may actually ensure proper oxygen delivery to vital organs.
Home monitoring empowers you. Learning to track your blood pressure correctly at home gives you more accurate data and helps you have better conversations with your doctor.
Lifestyle trumps prescriptions. Diet, movement, sleep, and stress management are the most powerful tools for lifelong blood pressure balance.
Be your own health advocate. Ask questions, challenge assumptions, and ensure your treatment plan fits you — not just the guideline.

1. What Do Your Blood Pressure Numbers Really Mean?

When you get a reading like 120/80 mmHg, it measures two forces inside your arteries:

Systolic (the top number): Pressure when your heart beats and pumps blood through your arteries.
Diastolic (the bottom number): Pressure when your heart relaxes between beats.

Think of it as the rhythm between push and rest. Both numbers matter — but most attention is usually given to the systolic pressure because it rises more noticeably with age.

Understanding these numbers isn’t just about memorizing digits. It’s about realizing that pressure is how your body ensures blood reaches every cell. Too high for too long? It strains the arteries. Too low? Your organs don’t get the oxygen they need. The sweet spot depends on your physiology, not a chart on a wall.

2. The Trap of “Guideline Rigidity” — When Medicine Treats Numbers, Not People

Medical guidelines are helpful. They give doctors a shared framework for treating disease. But when those guidelines turn into rules without nuance, we stop treating people — and start treating paper targets.

The idea that a 25-year-old marathon runner and an 85-year-old grandmother should both have a blood pressure of 120/80 is, frankly, absurd. Yet that’s often how the system works.

This “number-chasing” mentality has led to millions of people being aggressively medicated even when they feel fine, with no regard for symptoms, context, or quality of life. As Dr. Dhand points out, the goal should be healthy function, not arbitrary perfection.

3. The Hidden Dangers of Blood Pressure That’s Too Low

We talk endlessly about high blood pressure, but low blood pressure — often caused by over-medication — is just as dangerous and far less discussed. When your pressure drops too far, your vital organs simply aren’t getting the blood and oxygen they need.

This state, known as under-perfusion, can cause:

Dizziness and lightheadedness
Blurred vision or “brain fog”
Weakness and chronic fatigue
Confusion or memory loss
Increased risk of falls and fractures, especially in older adults

Your brain and kidneys are especially vulnerable. Reduced blood flow to the brain can mimic dementia symptoms, while the kidneys — which already decline in function with age — can deteriorate faster when they’re under-perfused. Ironically, the very medications meant to “protect” your organs can end up damaging them if dosed too aggressively.

4. Why Age and Physiology Matter

As you get older, your arteries naturally stiffen — a process called arteriosclerosis. Think of it as trying to pump water through a stiff pipe instead of a flexible hose. To keep blood flowing to your organs through those stiffer arteries, your body sometimes needs a bit more pressure.

That’s why, for many older adults, a systolic pressure in the 130s or 140s might be perfectly normal — even optimal. Studies have even found that in people over 85, those with systolic readings around 150 mmHg sometimes lived longer than those forced into the 110s.

This doesn’t mean “higher is better,” but it proves the danger of the blanket “lower is always best” approach. A moderate increase can be your body’s healthy adaptation — not a disease.

5. The Over-Medication Epidemic: When Good Intentions Go Wrong

Take this real-world story: A 78-year-old man who’d been on blood pressure medication since his 40s gradually began feeling dizzy, sluggish, and “foggy.” One morning, after breakfast, he nearly fainted. When checked, his systolic blood pressure was in the 70s — a dangerously low level.

After reviewing his history, doctors discovered years of medication stacking: every new physician added another drug but rarely removed one. Once his regimen was simplified, his symptoms vanished, and his energy returned.

This is called polypharmacy — the piling on of drugs without proper re-evaluation. It’s one of the most under-acknowledged public health crises, fueled by a medical system focused more on numbers than on people’s daily well-being.

6. How to Take Back Control: Become Your Own Data Source

If you’re on blood pressure medication, the smartest step you can take is to measure your blood pressure accurately at home. This puts you in control and gives you reliable data that reflects your real-life readings — not just the stress-induced ones at the clinic.

Here’s how to do it right:

Choose the right device. Use an upper-arm cuff (brands like Omron are well-validated). Avoid wrist or finger monitors — they’re less accurate.
Set the scene. Sit comfortably for at least five minutes before measuring. No coffee, smoking, or exercise 30 minutes beforehand. Keep your arm at heart level.
Take multiple readings. Do three measurements, one minute apart, and average them.
Track your trends. Record readings twice a day (morning and evening) for two weeks, then share the log — and your device — with your doctor.

By monitoring consistently, you and your doctor can make smarter, more personalized adjustments to your treatment.

7. “White Coat Hypertension” — Real, But Not an Excuse

Ever notice your blood pressure seems higher at the doctor’s office? That’s white coat hypertension, caused by anxiety or stress during the visit. It’s very common — and a perfect example of why context matters.

If your readings are high in the clinic but normal at home, your doctor may choose to observe rather than medicate immediately. Still, don’t ignore elevated numbers entirely — confirm the trend with home monitoring or ambulatory testing.

A good tip: ask your doctor to re-check your blood pressure after your appointment, when you’ve relaxed. The difference can be dramatic.

8. The True Solution: Fixing the Root Cause of High Blood Pressure

For most people, high blood pressure isn’t caused by a “medication deficiency.” It’s a symptom of metabolic imbalance — most often driven by insulin resistance, poor diet, stress, and inactivity.

The beauty is that it’s reversible. The pillars of heart health are within your control:

Eat whole, unprocessed foods. Focus on vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and low-glycemic carbs.
Move daily. Even a 20-minute brisk walk can lower blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity.
Sleep deeply. Less than seven hours a night increases stress hormones and blood pressure.
Manage stress. Meditation, nature walks, and deep breathing all lower sympathetic nervous activity — your body’s “fight or flight” mode.

When you optimize these habits, your blood pressure often normalizes naturally — sometimes to the point where you can safely reduce medication (always under your doctor’s supervision).

Conclusion: You Are Not a Number

It’s time to move beyond the industrial, “assembly-line” approach to medicine. You are not a statistic, and your ideal blood pressure shouldn’t be decided by a generic chart.

If your numbers look perfect on paper but you feel tired, dizzy, or unwell, that is not optimal health. Your true goal should be vibrant energy, clear thinking, and a body that feels balanced — not simply chasing “120/80.”

Ask questions. Stay curious. Bring your data. Partner with a physician who listens. And remember: the healthiest blood pressure is the one that supports you — not the one that satisfies a textbook guideline.