A blood pressure of 122 over 70 falls into the “elevated” category, which means it’s not quite optimal but isn’t high blood pressure either. The top number (122) is slightly above the normal cutoff of 120, while the bottom number (70) is well within the healthy range. It’s a reading worth paying attention to, not one worth worrying about.
Where 122/70 Falls on the Scale
The American Heart Association divides blood pressure into four categories based on the top number (systolic) and the bottom number (diastolic):
- Normal: below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic
- 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 or higher systolic or 90 or higher diastolic
Your systolic reading of 122 places you in the elevated range, while your diastolic of 70 is solidly normal. Since the higher category always takes priority, the overall reading counts as elevated. That said, you’re only 2 points above the normal threshold, so this is about as close to ideal as “elevated” gets.
What “Elevated” Actually Means
Elevated blood pressure is not a diagnosis. It’s a signal that your blood pressure is trending upward and could eventually cross into hypertension territory if nothing changes. People in this range don’t typically need medication. The concern is trajectory: without lifestyle adjustments, elevated readings tend to climb over the years rather than drop on their own.
The good news is that a reading like 122/70 responds well to basic lifestyle changes, and many people can bring that top number below 120 without much difficulty.
Your Diastolic Number Looks Great
A healthy diastolic pressure is anything below 80, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. At 70, yours is comfortably in the normal range. The diastolic number reflects the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats, when your heart is resting and refilling with blood. There’s no concern here.
How to Bring the Top Number Down
You only need to lower your systolic reading by about 3 points to land in the normal range. Several lifestyle changes can do far more than that:
- Dietary changes: A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy while low in saturated fat can lower blood pressure by up to 11 points. This pattern is sometimes called the DASH diet.
- Cutting sodium: Reducing sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day (roughly two-thirds of a teaspoon of table salt) can lower readings by about 5 to 6 points. Most people consume well over double that amount.
- Regular exercise: Consistent aerobic activity, like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming, can reduce blood pressure by 5 to 8 points.
- Increasing potassium: Getting 3,500 to 5,000 mg of potassium daily through foods like bananas, potatoes, beans, and spinach can lower pressure by 4 to 5 points.
- Weight loss: If you carry extra weight, blood pressure drops by roughly 1 point for every kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) lost.
Any one of these changes alone would likely be enough to move a reading of 122 into the normal range. Combined, they can make a substantial difference for people with much higher numbers too.
Make Sure Your Reading Is Accurate
A single blood pressure reading is a snapshot, not a verdict. Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day based on stress, caffeine, physical activity, and even whether you’ve been talking. Before drawing conclusions from 122/70, it helps to know whether the reading was taken properly.
For an accurate measurement, you should sit in a comfortable chair with your back supported for at least 5 minutes beforehand. Both feet should be flat on the ground with your legs uncrossed. The arm wearing the cuff should rest on a table at chest height. Don’t talk during the reading. Skipping any of these steps can inflate your numbers by several points.
Hypertension is diagnosed only after careful, repeated measurements, not from a single reading. If you got 122/70 at a pharmacy kiosk or while rushing through a doctor’s visit, it’s worth checking again under calm conditions. You may find your actual resting pressure is a few points lower.
During Pregnancy
If you’re pregnant, 122/70 is worth monitoring more closely. Normal blood pressure during pregnancy is considered 120/80 or lower, and readings of 140/90 or higher after 20 weeks of pregnancy are classified as high. A reading of 122/70 isn’t alarming, but your provider will likely want to track it throughout your pregnancy to make sure it stays stable. A sudden spike above 160/110 during pregnancy or after birth is a medical emergency.
The Bottom Line on 122/70
This is a reading that most people would be happy with, and rightly so. It’s close to optimal, your diastolic number is healthy, and you’re nowhere near the hypertension range. The only reason it doesn’t qualify as “normal” is that the systolic number is 2 points above the cutoff. A few small dietary or exercise changes are likely all it would take to bring it down, and tracking your readings over time will give you a much clearer picture than any single measurement.