Low blood pressure, generally defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg, can cause dizziness, fainting, fatigue, and blurred vision. Raising it involves a combination of dietary changes, hydration strategies, physical techniques, and in some cases medication. Most approaches work by increasing the volume of fluid in your bloodstream or by tightening blood vessels so pressure stays higher.
Increase Your Salt and Fluid Intake
Salt is the single most effective dietary tool for raising blood pressure because sodium pulls water into your bloodstream, expanding blood volume. For people with conditions like orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure that drops when you stand up), medical guidelines typically recommend 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day, and some specialists go as high as 4,000 to 8,000 mg daily depending on severity. For context, the average American consumes about 3,400 mg per day. Adding salt to meals, eating salty snacks, or using electrolyte drinks are practical ways to get there.
Water matters just as much as salt. Aim for 2 to 2.5 liters of fluid daily. Drinking water in larger amounts at once can produce a surprisingly fast effect: downing about 16 ounces (500 mL) of water in one sitting causes a notable blood pressure increase in people with neurogenic low blood pressure. This “bolus” approach works well first thing in the morning or before situations where you know you’ll be standing for a while.
Use Physical Counterpressure Maneuvers
If you feel lightheaded or sense your blood pressure dropping, specific body positions can push it back up quickly. A meta-analysis of these techniques found they raise standing systolic blood pressure by about 15 mmHg on average. That’s enough to prevent a fainting episode in many people.
The most effective maneuvers include:
- Squatting: Drop into a full squat, which compresses the blood vessels in your legs and forces blood back toward your heart.
- Crash position: Squat down and tuck your head between your knees. This produced the strongest blood pressure recovery in studies.
- Leg crossing with tensing: Cross your legs while standing and squeeze your thigh, buttock, and abdominal muscles simultaneously.
- Hand gripping: Squeeze a ball or make a tight fist repeatedly.
These work because contracting large muscle groups physically pushes blood out of your veins and back into circulation. They’re especially useful as a first response when you feel symptoms coming on, like dizziness, tunnel vision, or sudden sweating.
Wear Compression Garments
Compression stockings and abdominal binders help prevent blood from pooling in your lower body when you stand. What’s interesting is that compressing the abdomen matters far more than compressing the legs. The abdomen accounts for over 70% of the fluid shifts that happen when you go from lying down to standing, while the legs account for less than a third. This means knee-high compression socks alone have limited benefit.
Full-length compression garments or an abdominal binder (essentially a wide elastic belt around your midsection) are more effective. The pressure levels used in studies ranged from 15 to 40 mmHg, with higher pressures generally producing stronger results. Your doctor can help you find the right fit, but an abdominal binder is often easier to wear daily than full-body compression.
Adjust How and What You Eat
Blood pressure naturally dips after meals because your body diverts blood flow to your digestive system. Large, carbohydrate-heavy meals make this worse. In a study of older adults with postprandial hypotension (the post-meal drop), a low-carbohydrate meal caused a systolic blood pressure decrease of about 28 mmHg, while a high-carbohydrate meal caused a 40 mmHg drop. The low-carb group also had shorter episodes and fewer symptoms like dizziness.
Practical changes that help: eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of three large ones. Reduce the starchy and sugary portions of your plate (bread, pasta, rice, sweets) and replace some of those calories with protein and fat, which don’t trigger the same blood pressure drop. Drinking water with your meal also helps counteract the effect.
Elevate Your Head While Sleeping
Sleeping with the head of your bed raised by 6 to 10 inches (roughly 12 to 15 degrees) can improve your blood pressure regulation throughout the day. This works through a gradual redistribution of body fluids overnight. The slight incline causes mild ankle swelling, which acts as a fluid reservoir. When you stand up in the morning, that extra fluid moves back into your bloodstream, cushioning the usual blood pressure drop.
Studies found that angles of 12 degrees or higher consistently improved standing blood pressure tolerance. You can achieve this with a foam wedge under your mattress, bed risers under the headboard posts, or an adjustable bed frame. Pillows alone don’t work well because they bend your neck without tilting your whole body.
Medications for Persistent Low Blood Pressure
When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, two medications are commonly prescribed. The first helps your kidneys retain sodium and water, expanding your blood volume. It’s typically started at a low dose and gradually increased week by week until mild ankle swelling appears, which signals that fluid volume has expanded enough. The second type works by tightening blood vessels directly, which raises pressure more immediately. It’s usually taken before periods of upright activity rather than at bedtime, since blood pressure naturally rises when you lie down.
Both medications require monitoring because they can overshoot, causing high blood pressure while lying down. This is a common trade-off in treating chronic low blood pressure, and your provider will adjust dosing based on your readings in different positions.
Daily Habits That Help
Beyond the major strategies, several smaller habits add up. Stand up slowly, especially in the morning or after sitting for a long time. Avoid hot showers and baths, which dilate blood vessels and drop pressure further. Caffeine can temporarily raise blood pressure, so a cup of coffee before a meal or before prolonged standing may help. Avoid alcohol, which is a vasodilator and worsens low blood pressure.
If your symptoms are mainly triggered by standing, pay attention to the time of day. Blood pressure tends to be lowest in the morning and after meals, so stack your protective strategies during those windows: drink a large glass of water when you wake up, add salt to breakfast, wear compression during the morning hours, and keep lunch low in carbohydrates. Combining several moderate interventions often works better than relying on any single one.