Understanding Blood Pressure – Part 1: What is Blood Pressure?
- UHC
- Sep 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Blood pressure is one of the most essential indicators of health. It reflects how effectively your heart is pumping blood and how well your blood vessels are functioning. Monitoring it regularly can help detect potential health risks early and maintain overall well-being.
Think of your body like a garden. Your heart is the water pump, and your blood is the water flowing through the garden hose (your blood vessels).
When the pump pushes water strongly, the hose feels tight — that’s like high pressure. When the pump slows down, the hose relaxes — that’s like low pressure.
Blood pressure works in the same way. It is the push of blood against the sides of your blood vessels every time your heart beats.
The Technical Side of Blood Pressure
In technical terms, blood pressure is the force of circulating blood against the walls of your arteries.
When your heart beats, it pushes blood into the arteries — this creates systolic pressure (the top number in a BP reading).
When your heart rests between beats, pressure falls — this is called diastolic pressure (the bottom number).
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is made up of two numbers:
Systolic pressure (the top number): The pressure when your heart contracts and pushes blood into the arteries.
Diastolic pressure (the bottom number): The pressure when your heart relaxes between beats but blood is still flowing.
For example, a reading of 120/80 mmHg means:
120 (systolic): The force when the heart is pumping.
80 (diastolic): The force when the heart is resting.
Why Blood Pressure Matters
Blood pressure keeps oxygen and nutrients moving to every part of the body, just like steady water keeps a garden alive.
Normal blood pressure helps organs function properly.
High blood pressure (hypertension) strains the heart and damages vessels.
Low blood pressure (hypotension) may reduce blood flow to vital organs.
Key Takeaway
Blood pressure is simply the force of blood moving through your body, just like water moving through a hose in a garden. Keeping this pressure balanced is essential for long-term health and well-being.
