If your blood pressure consistently reads below 90/60 mmHg and you’re dealing with dizziness, fatigue, or fainting, there are several effective ways to bring it up. The approach depends on whether you need a quick fix in the moment or a longer-term strategy to keep your numbers stable throughout the day.
Increase Your Salt and Fluid Intake
Salt is the single most effective dietary tool for raising blood pressure. Sodium pulls water into your bloodstream, increasing blood volume and pushing pressure higher. For people with orthostatic disorders (conditions where blood pressure drops when standing), medical guidelines recommend 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day, and some specialists go as high as 4,000 to 8,000 mg for more severe cases. For context, the standard dietary guideline for the general population caps sodium at 2,300 mg, so this is a meaningful increase.
A practical way to add sodium is to supplement with about 1,000 to 2,000 mg three times per day, spread across meals. You can do this through saltier foods, salt tablets, or electrolyte drinks. One study found that people who fainted from standing and added roughly 2,400 mg of supplemental sodium daily saw improved blood pressure control and fewer symptoms within two months.
Fluid intake matters just as much. Healthy adults generally need 11.5 to 15.5 cups (2.7 to 3.7 liters) of total fluid per day from all sources. If you have low blood pressure, aim for the higher end. Drinking a large glass of water (about 16 ounces) 15 to 30 minutes before standing up can provide a short-term boost, which is especially useful first thing in the morning when blood pressure tends to be lowest.
Quick Moves That Raise Blood Pressure Immediately
When you feel lightheaded or sense your blood pressure dropping, physical counterpressure maneuvers can buy you time by squeezing blood from your legs and abdomen back toward your heart. The American Heart Association recommends several techniques:
- Leg crossing with muscle tensing: Cross your legs and squeeze your thigh, buttock, and abdominal muscles tightly. You can do this while standing or lying down.
- Squatting: Lower yourself into a squat, tense your lower body muscles, and hold until symptoms pass. Stand up slowly afterward.
- Isometric handgrip: Grip your hands together, interlocking your fingers, and pull your arms in opposite directions as hard as you can.
- Fist clenching: Clench your fist at maximum force, with or without holding something in your hand.
These maneuvers work within seconds. They’re not a long-term solution, but they can prevent a faint when you feel one coming on.
Wear Compression Garments
Compression stockings prevent blood from pooling in your legs, which is one of the main reasons blood pressure drops when you stand. Most specialists recommend waist-high stockings rated at 20 to 30 mmHg or 30 to 40 mmHg of pressure. Knee-high stockings are easier to put on but less effective because a significant amount of blood pools in your thighs and abdomen, not just your calves.
Abdominal binders serve a similar purpose for the midsection. If you find full waist-high compression unbearable in warm weather, pairing knee-high stockings with an abdominal binder is a reasonable compromise.
Adjust How and What You Eat
Blood pressure commonly drops after meals because your body diverts blood flow to your digestive system. This is called postprandial hypotension, and it’s particularly common in older adults. Two dietary changes help prevent it: eating six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones, and keeping those meals low in carbohydrates. Large, carb-heavy meals trigger the biggest blood pressure drops because they require more blood flow for digestion and cause greater insulin release.
Caffeine can also provide a temporary blood pressure boost. A cup of coffee or tea before meals or before prolonged standing may help, though the effect diminishes if you drink caffeine regularly.
Elevate the Head of Your Bed
Sleeping with your head slightly raised, about 10 degrees (roughly a 9-inch elevation at the head of the bed), helps reduce the sharp blood pressure drop many people experience when they stand up in the morning. This works by keeping your body in a slightly tilted position overnight, which trains your cardiovascular system to better handle gravity and reduces overnight fluid loss through the kidneys. You can achieve this with a foam wedge under your mattress or by placing blocks under the legs at the head of the bed. Stacking pillows doesn’t work as well because it bends your neck without tilting your whole body.
Stand Up Slowly and Strategically
How you transition from lying or sitting to standing makes a real difference. Sit on the edge of the bed for 30 to 60 seconds before standing. Pump your ankles up and down a few times to get blood moving in your legs. When you do stand, tense your leg and abdominal muscles. If mornings are your worst time, drink water before getting out of bed and keep a glass on your nightstand.
Avoid standing still for long periods. If you have to stand in line or at a counter, shift your weight, rock on your heels, or cross your legs. Movement keeps blood circulating rather than pooling.
When Lifestyle Changes Aren’t Enough
If salt, fluids, compression, and physical maneuvers don’t adequately control your symptoms, prescription medications are available. Two drugs are FDA-approved specifically for orthostatic hypotension: one works by tightening blood vessels to raise pressure directly, and the other is converted in your body into a chemical that raises blood pressure. Both are taken three times per day and adjusted gradually to find the right dose. These are typically prescribed after non-drug strategies have been tried first, and they work best when combined with the lifestyle measures above rather than used alone.