If your blood pressure is running low, you can raise it through a combination of increasing salt and fluid intake, wearing compression garments, adjusting how you eat and sleep, and using specific body movements when you feel faint. Low blood pressure is generally defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg, and even a drop of 20 mmHg from your normal baseline can cause dizziness or fainting. The strategies below work for chronic low blood pressure as well as the type that hits when you stand up (orthostatic hypotension) or after meals.
Increase Your Salt Intake
Salt is the single most effective dietary tool for raising blood pressure because sodium pulls water into your bloodstream, expanding your blood volume. For people with orthostatic disorders, medical guidelines typically recommend between 2,400 and 4,000 mg of sodium per day, which translates to roughly 6,000 to 10,000 mg of table salt. Some specialists recommend even higher amounts, up to 8,000 mg of sodium daily, for more severe cases. For context, the average American already consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium per day, so you may only need a modest increase.
A practical approach is to add 1,000 to 2,000 mg of sodium to your diet three times daily through salty snacks, broth, pickles, olives, or salt tablets. One study found that people with fainting episodes who added roughly 2,400 mg of supplemental sodium per day for two months showed meaningful improvements in blood pressure stability when standing and in blood flow to the brain. If you have heart failure or kidney disease, though, extra salt can cause dangerous fluid retention, so this strategy needs to be guided by your specific situation.
Drink More Fluids
Water works hand in hand with sodium. When your blood volume is low, your heart has less to pump, and pressure drops. Aiming for 2 to 3 liters of fluid per day (roughly 8 to 12 cups) helps maintain that volume. Drinking a full glass of water 15 to 30 minutes before standing up or before a meal can provide a quick buffer against drops. Water alone triggers a short-term rise in blood pressure in many people, even without extra salt, by activating reflexes that tighten blood vessels.
Wear Compression Garments
Compression stockings and abdominal binders physically squeeze blood out of your legs and abdomen, pushing it back toward your heart and brain. The key is getting the right pressure and coverage. Thigh-high stockings rated at 23 to 32 mmHg of pressure are the standard recommendation for orthostatic hypotension. Knee-high stockings are easier to put on but less effective because a large amount of blood pools in the thighs. Abdominal compression bands can be used in addition to or instead of stockings, especially in warm weather when full-length stockings feel unbearable.
Use Counter-Pressure Maneuvers
When you feel lightheaded or sense your blood pressure dropping, specific muscle-tensing techniques can buy you time by forcing blood back into circulation. These work within seconds.
- Arm tensing: Grip one hand with the other and pull them against each other without letting go. Hold until your symptoms pass.
- Leg crossing: Cross one leg over the other and squeeze the muscles in your legs, abdomen, and buttocks. Stay in this position until you feel stable.
- Handgrip: Squeeze a rubber ball (or anything firm) in your dominant hand for as long as you can or until the dizziness fades.
These movements work by contracting large muscle groups, which compresses the veins running through them and temporarily increases the amount of blood returning to the heart. They’re especially useful in situations where you can’t sit or lie down immediately, like standing in line or at a social event.
Adjust How and What You Eat
Large meals, particularly carbohydrate-heavy ones, divert blood flow to your digestive system and can cause your blood pressure to drop noticeably for one to two hours after eating. This is called postprandial hypotension, and it’s especially common in older adults. Two changes help: eat six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones, and keep those meals lower in carbohydrates. Replacing a big plate of pasta with a smaller portion that includes more protein and fat reduces the blood flow demand on your gut and keeps pressure steadier.
Elevate the Head of Your Bed
Sleeping with your head slightly raised (by tilting the entire bed frame or using a wedge pillow) can improve your blood pressure when you stand up in the morning. The slight angle prevents your kidneys from flushing out as much sodium and water overnight, so you wake up with a fuller blood volume. Researchers are still working out the ideal angle, balancing effectiveness with comfort, but even a modest tilt of 10 to 15 degrees (about 6 to 9 inches under the headboard legs) is commonly suggested. This is a particularly useful strategy if your worst symptoms hit first thing in the morning.
Stand Up Slowly and Strategically
Gravity is the main enemy when your blood pressure runs low. When you go from lying down to standing, roughly 500 to 700 mL of blood shifts into your legs within seconds. You can blunt this effect by changing positions in stages: sit on the edge of the bed for 30 seconds before standing, flex your calves a few times while still seated, and avoid standing motionless for long periods. If you’ve been lying down for a while, sitting upright first gives your cardiovascular system time to adjust.
When Lifestyle Changes Aren’t Enough
If salt, fluids, compression, and movement adjustments aren’t keeping your blood pressure at a functional level, prescription medications are available. The two most commonly used work through different mechanisms. One type helps your body retain more sodium and water, expanding blood volume around the clock. The other directly tightens blood vessels, raising pressure more immediately. Both require monitoring because raising blood pressure too much or at the wrong times (like when you’re lying down at night) creates its own risks. These medications are typically reserved for people whose symptoms significantly interfere with daily life despite consistent use of the non-drug strategies above.
Persistent low blood pressure with symptoms like frequent fainting, confusion, blurred vision, or extreme fatigue can signal an underlying cause, from dehydration and medication side effects to heart or nervous system conditions. Identifying and treating the root cause is often more effective than simply trying to push the numbers up.