Why is my blood pressure higher in the morning?

A modest morning rise is normal. Blood pressure follows a daily rhythm: it dips during sleep and climbs in the hours around waking as your body releases hormones that prepare you for the day.

Readings can also run high for ordinary reasons: caffeine or nicotine shortly before measuring, a full bladder, talking during the reading, or a cuff placed over clothing. Measuring seated and rested, at the same times each day, gives a fairer picture.

A consistently large morning surge is worth showing to your clinician; a home log over a few weeks is far more useful to them than a single office reading. Sustained readings of 180/120 or higher are a matter for urgent care.