A blood pressure of 117/68 mmHg is a good reading. It falls squarely in the “normal” category under the 2025 guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, which define normal blood pressure as below 120/80 mmHg. Both your top number (systolic) and bottom number (diastolic) are comfortably within the healthy range.
Where 117/68 Falls on the Scale
Current guidelines break blood pressure into four categories:
- Normal: below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic
- Elevated: 120 to 129 systolic with diastolic still below 80
- Hypertension Stage 1: 130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic
- Hypertension Stage 2: 140 or higher systolic, or 90 or higher diastolic
At 117/68, you’re just 3 points below the threshold where doctors start paying closer attention. That’s a comfortable margin, not a borderline one. This reading suggests your heart is pumping blood efficiently and your blood vessels aren’t under excessive strain.
What the Two Numbers Mean
The first number, 117, is your systolic pressure. It measures the force of blood pushing against your artery walls each time your heart contracts and pumps. The second number, 68, is your diastolic pressure, which reflects the pressure between beats while your heart is filling with blood. Both numbers matter, and having both in the normal range is what makes this a genuinely healthy reading.
Is a Diastolic of 68 Too Low?
Some people see a diastolic number in the 60s and wonder if it’s on the low side. It’s not. Low blood pressure (hypotension) is generally defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg, so 68 is well above that threshold. Most doctors only consider low blood pressure a concern when it causes symptoms like dizziness, fainting, or persistent fatigue. A diastolic of 68 without symptoms is perfectly healthy.
Pulse Pressure: A Hidden Detail Worth Knowing
Your pulse pressure is the gap between your systolic and diastolic numbers. For a reading of 117/68, that’s 49 mmHg. A pulse pressure around 40 is considered ideal, and readings above 60 are a risk factor for heart disease, particularly in older adults. At 49, yours is slightly above the textbook ideal but well within a safe range and not a cause for concern.
For Teens, 117/68 Is Also Normal
If you’re a teenager checking this number, the interpretation is a bit more nuanced because blood pressure norms for adolescents depend on age, sex, and height. But 117/68 lands close to average for older teens. For example, the typical blood pressure for a 17-year-old boy at average height is around 118/67, which is almost identical. For a 17-year-old girl at average height, the typical reading is about 111/66, so 117/68 would be slightly higher than the midpoint but still below the 90th percentile, meaning it’s normal.
Making Sure Your Reading Is Accurate
A single reading is a snapshot, not a diagnosis. Blood pressure fluctuates throughout the day based on activity, stress, caffeine, and even how you’re sitting. To get the most reliable number, the CDC recommends a few simple steps: avoid food and drinks for 30 minutes beforehand, empty your bladder, and sit with your back supported for at least five minutes before measuring. Keep both feet flat on the floor with your legs uncrossed, and rest your arm on a table at chest height. Letting your arm hang at your side or crossing your legs can artificially raise the reading.
If you’re monitoring at home, take two or three readings a minute apart and average them. Consistency across multiple readings on different days gives you a much more reliable picture than any single measurement.
Keeping Your Blood Pressure in This Range
A reading of 117/68 means whatever you’re doing is working. The habits that maintain healthy blood pressure are the usual suspects: regular physical activity, a diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting sodium, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, and limiting alcohol. None of that is groundbreaking, but it’s what keeps a normal reading normal over time.
Blood pressure tends to rise gradually with age as arteries stiffen. Checking it at least once a year, even when it’s been consistently normal, helps you catch any upward trend early, long before it reaches a range that requires treatment.