Elevating your feet above heart level is the single fastest way to bring swelling down, and most people notice a difference within 15 to 20 minutes. But elevation alone won’t always solve the problem. A combination of movement, hydration, compression, and dietary changes works best for reducing fluid buildup in the feet and keeping it from coming back.
Elevate Your Feet Above Your Heart
The key detail most people miss is height. Propping your feet on an ottoman while you sit on the couch doesn’t do much. Your feet need to be above the level of your heart so gravity can pull trapped fluid back toward your core. Lie on your back and stack pillows under your calves and ankles, or rest your legs against a wall. Aim for about 15 minutes per session, three to four times a day. If you only do this once before bed, you’re leaving most of the benefit on the table.
Use Ankle Pumps to Move Fluid Out
Your calf muscles act like a pump for your veins. Every time they contract, they squeeze blood and fluid upward out of your lower legs. When you sit or stand for long stretches without moving, that pump shuts off and fluid pools in your feet.
Ankle pumps are simple: sit or lie with your legs extended, then point your toes toward your knees as far as you can, then push them away from you as far as you can. Alternate back and forth for two to three minutes, and repeat every hour or so when you’re sedentary. You can do this at a desk, on a plane, or in bed. Walking is even better if it’s an option, since each step engages your calves naturally.
Cut Back on Sodium
Salt makes your body hold onto water. If your feet swell regularly, your sodium intake is one of the first things worth examining. The American Heart Association recommends staying under 2,000 milligrams per day for people dealing with fluid retention. That’s less than a single teaspoon of table salt, and most people blow past it without realizing, since processed foods, restaurant meals, canned soups, and deli meats are loaded with sodium.
You don’t need to count every milligram. Start by reading labels on the foods you eat most often and swapping high-sodium staples for lower-sodium versions. Cooking at home with fresh ingredients gives you far more control than trying to navigate restaurant menus.
Drink More Water, Not Less
It sounds counterintuitive, but drinking more water actually reduces swelling. When you’re dehydrated, your kidneys respond by retaining more sodium and water. That extra fluid leaks out of small blood vessels and builds up in surrounding tissues, especially in your feet and ankles. Staying well hydrated signals your kidneys to release excess fluid instead of hoarding it. There’s no magic number that works for everyone, but if your urine is dark yellow, you’re likely not drinking enough.
Try Compression Socks
Compression stockings apply gentle, graduated pressure that’s tightest at the ankle and loosens as it moves up the leg. This mimics what your calf muscles do when they contract, pushing fluid upward and preventing it from settling in your feet. They work best when you put them on in the morning before swelling starts, not after your feet are already puffy. Knee-high styles with 15 to 20 mmHg of pressure are widely available without a prescription and are a good starting point for most people.
Soak in Epsom Salt
An Epsom salt soak won’t cure the underlying cause of swelling, but many people find it helps temporarily. Dissolve about one cup of Epsom salt in a tub or basin of lukewarm water and soak your feet for at least 20 minutes. The warm water helps relax blood vessels and improve circulation, and the magnesium sulfate in Epsom salt may contribute to drawing out excess fluid. It’s a low-risk option that also just feels good after a long day on your feet.
Swelling During Pregnancy
Some degree of foot and ankle swelling is normal during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. The same basic strategies apply, with a few important adjustments. Sleep on your left side, which takes pressure off the large vein that returns blood from your lower body to your heart. Elevate your legs slightly with pillows while you sleep. Avoid clothing with tight bands around the ankles or calves, since these can restrict blood flow.
Standing or walking in a pool is particularly effective during pregnancy because the water pressure gently compresses your leg tissues. And don’t cut back on fluids thinking it will reduce swelling. Pregnant women generally need about 10 cups (2.3 liters) of fluids per day, and restricting water intake can actually make retention worse. Flexing and circling your feet at the ankles throughout the day helps keep fluid moving.
When Swelling May Signal Something Serious
Swelling in both feet that comes and goes with long days, warm weather, or salty meals is usually a circulation and lifestyle issue. But certain patterns deserve attention.
Swelling in only one foot or leg, especially if it comes on suddenly with pain, warmth, or redness, can indicate a blood clot. This is a medical emergency. Swelling in both legs that doesn’t improve with elevation, or that gets progressively worse over weeks, can be a sign of heart failure, kidney disease, liver problems, or severe thyroid dysfunction. Pitting edema, where pressing your finger into the swollen skin leaves an indent that takes several seconds to fill back in, is more likely to have a systemic cause than mild puffiness that resolves overnight.
If your swelling is new, persistent, one-sided, or accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain, it’s worth getting evaluated rather than relying on home remedies alone.