A blood pressure of 107/71 is a good reading. It falls squarely in the normal category, which the American Heart Association defines as anything below 120/80 mm Hg. Both your top number (107) and bottom number (71) are well within that range, placing you in the healthiest blood pressure zone.
What 107 and 71 Actually Tell You
The top number, called systolic pressure, measures the force in your arteries each time your heart beats. The bottom number, diastolic pressure, measures the force between beats, when your heart is resting. A reading of 107/71 means both phases of your heart’s pumping cycle are generating a healthy amount of pressure: enough to circulate blood efficiently, but not so much that it strains your blood vessels.
How Close This Is to Ideal
Your reading isn’t just normal. It’s close to what large-scale research suggests is optimal. A major NIH-funded trial called SPRINT found that keeping systolic pressure below 120 mm Hg reduced heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes by 25% and lowered the overall risk of death by 27%, compared to a higher target of 140. At 107, your systolic number is comfortably in that protective range.
For people with chronic conditions like diabetes or kidney disease, guidelines recommend keeping blood pressure below 130/80. A reading of 107/71 clears that threshold by a wide margin.
Could 107/71 Be Too Low?
Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is generally defined as a reading below 90/60. At 107/71, you’re well above that cutoff. For most people, lower blood pressure within the normal range is a good thing, not a concern.
The exception is if you’re experiencing symptoms. Some people with readings in the lower end of normal feel lightheaded when standing up, have blurry vision, or feel unusually weak. This is called orthostatic hypotension, and it happens when blood pressure drops temporarily as you change position. If you feel fine at 107/71, there’s nothing to worry about. If you frequently feel dizzy when standing, that’s worth mentioning to your doctor, regardless of what the numbers say.
Why One Reading Isn’t the Full Picture
Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day based on what you’re doing, what you’ve consumed, and even how you’re sitting. Caffeine, alcohol, and exercise within 30 minutes of a reading can push numbers higher. Crossing your legs or letting your arm hang at your side instead of resting it on a table can also skew results. Even nervousness can inflate a reading. As many as 1 in 3 people who show high blood pressure at a doctor’s office have normal readings at home.
A single reading of 107/71 is reassuring, but the most useful information comes from tracking your blood pressure over time. If you’re measuring at home, take readings at the same time of day, sitting quietly with your feet flat on the floor and your arm supported at chest height. A pattern of readings in the normal range is more meaningful than any individual number.
What the Categories Look Like
To put your reading in context, here’s how the current guidelines break down blood pressure levels:
- Normal: below 120/80 mm Hg
- Elevated: 120 to 129 systolic, and below 80 diastolic
- Stage 1 hypertension: 130 to 139 systolic, or 80 to 89 diastolic
- Stage 2 hypertension: 140/90 or higher
- Hypertensive crisis: above 180/120
These thresholds apply to all adults. The current guidelines, updated in 2017, do not use different targets for younger versus older adults. Whether you’re 25 or 75, 107/71 is considered normal.
During Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant and wondering about this reading, the same normal threshold of less than 120/80 applies. A reading of 107/71 during pregnancy is healthy. Blood pressure is checked at every prenatal visit because complications like preeclampsia involve a significant rise in pressure. Staying in the normal range is exactly what your care team wants to see.