Summarize this article:

When you check your blood pressure, there are quite a few factors that can cause your numbers to temporarily rise. Things like stress, smoking, and caffeine can make your blood pressure rise right before a reading. It's best to avoid these things for at least twenty minutes before you plan to check your blood pressure. Other elements can also cause a temporary increase in your blood pressure, such as exercise, cold temperatures, a full bladder, a full stomach, or certain medications. If you want to check your blood pressure at home using a manual pump cuff monitor, you'll need to purchase one and familiarize yourself with it. Most cuff monitors consist of the cuff with a center arrow for proper positioning that wraps around your arm, a gauge that indicates the BP reading, a rubber tube that connects the gauge to the cuff, and a bulb that you squeeze to inflate the cuff. You should be able to purchase one at a pharmacy or medical supply store. Remove any clothing items that cover your upper arms and wrap the cuff around your arm, placing it at the main artery. Find this artery by tracing a line from your pinky finger to just above your elbow. Center the cuff's arrow with this artery. Make sure your arm is supported and your palm is face-up, otherwise your blood pressure monitor may show an incorrect reading. With the cuff fully deflated, fasten the cuff snugly around your arm with the Velcro strap. The stethoscope head should be placed over the main artery in your arm at the inner bend of your elbow. Use the manual hand pump to inflate the cuff while it is securely in place on your upper arm. Squeezing the hand pump will send air into the cuff and cause it to inflate. You may have to squeeze the pump quite a few times.  Keep inflating the cuff until the gauge reads approximately 30 points (mm Hg) higher than your expected systolic pressure number (the top number). Be sure to keep your cuffed arm level and parallel with the ground during the entire inflation and reading process. As you start deflating the cuff, listen for the heartbeat with the stethoscope at the main artery. As you are listening, slowly deflate the cuff with arrow on the gauge going down at about 2-3 mm of mercury per second by turning the air release valve counterclockwise.  Try to turn the valve very slowly, otherwise it could ruin your entire reading and make you start over again. Keep your eyes on the gauge while you deflate the cuff. Once you hear the first beat, note the number on the gauge; this is your systolic number. Continue to listen until the heartbeat disappears.  Note the point at which you can no longer hear any heartbeat, this is your diastolic pressure number.  Keep consistently deflating the cuff as you listen for these two points. Once you acquire the systolic and diastolic readings, deflate the cuff completely and remove it from your arm, as continuous cuff inflation can result in numbness and tingling in the arm

Summary:
Avoid temporarily raising your blood pressure. Learn to use a blood pressure cuff. Secure the cuff on your arm. Inflate the cuff. Deflate the cuff and listen. Take the reading.