Low blood pressure, generally defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg, doesn’t always need treatment. Many people walk around with naturally low numbers and feel perfectly fine. But if your low blood pressure is causing dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, or fatigue, there are concrete steps you can take right now and over the long term to bring your numbers up and feel better.
What to Do Right Now
If you feel lightheaded or dizzy while standing, act quickly to get blood moving back toward your heart and brain. Cross your legs like scissors and squeeze your thighs together. Or place one foot on a chair or ledge and lean your body forward as far as you can. Both of these moves push pooled blood from your legs upward. If you feel faint, lie down and elevate your legs above heart level until the sensation passes.
Drink a full glass of water. Dehydration is one of the most common and easily fixable causes of low blood pressure, and even mild fluid loss can cause a noticeable drop. If you haven’t eaten recently, a small salty snack can also help in the short term.
Signs That Need Emergency Attention
Low blood pressure becomes dangerous when it starves your organs of oxygen. Get emergency help if you experience confusion, cold or clammy skin, rapid shallow breathing, a weak and fast pulse, or bluish discoloration of the skin. These can signal shock, which is a medical emergency regardless of the cause. Fainting and not regaining consciousness quickly also warrants a 911 call.
Why Your Blood Pressure Might Be Low
The most common culprits fall into a few categories. Medications top the list: blood pressure drugs (beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics), antidepressants, drugs for Parkinson’s disease, and medications for erectile dysfunction can all push your pressure too low. If your symptoms started or worsened after beginning a new prescription, that connection is worth flagging to your provider.
Dehydration, blood loss, severe infection, and allergic reactions can all cause sudden drops. Hormonal conditions like adrenal insufficiency and thyroid disorders sometimes present with chronically low readings. Heart conditions that reduce how much blood your heart pumps, such as extremely low heart rate or heart valve problems, are less common but more serious causes.
Pregnancy often lowers blood pressure, particularly in the first and second trimesters. Normal blood pressure during pregnancy is 120/80 or lower, and mild dips below that are expected. The concern during pregnancy shifts more toward high blood pressure after 20 weeks, but persistent dizziness or fainting from low pressure still deserves medical evaluation.
Orthostatic Hypotension: The Positional Drop
If your symptoms hit specifically when you stand up, you likely have orthostatic hypotension. This is diagnosed when your top number drops by 20 points or your bottom number drops by 10 points within two to five minutes of standing. It’s especially common in older adults and people on multiple medications.
The key habit change is simple: move slowly. When getting out of bed, sit on the edge for 30 seconds before standing. When rising from a chair, pause. Avoid sudden position changes, and be extra careful first thing in the morning when blood pressure tends to be lowest.
Increase Your Salt and Fluid Intake
For most health conditions, doctors tell you to cut salt. Low blood pressure is the exception. Salt helps your body retain fluid, which increases blood volume and raises pressure. Medical guidelines for people with orthostatic conditions recommend significantly more sodium than the general population consumes. The American Society of Hypertension suggests 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day for these patients, while some specialists recommend up to 4,000 to 4,800 mg daily for conditions like POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).
One study found that patients who were excreting less than about 3,900 mg of sodium per day saw meaningful improvements in their ability to stand without symptoms after just two months of adding roughly 2,400 mg of supplemental sodium daily. Practically, this can look like adding salt to meals, eating salty foods like broth, olives, or pickles, or using salt tablets. Pair the extra sodium with increased water intake, aiming for at least two to three liters of fluid per day. Without enough fluid, the extra salt won’t help much.
Adjust How and When You Eat
Some people experience blood pressure drops specifically after meals, a condition called postprandial hypotension. Large meals, particularly those heavy in carbohydrates, divert blood to the digestive system and can cause dizziness or lightheadedness 15 to 90 minutes after eating.
If this sounds familiar, try eating six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. Keep carbohydrates moderate at each meal, since refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and sugary foods cause the most dramatic blood flow shifts. Drinking water before eating can also blunt the drop.
Compression Garments and Physical Countermeasures
Compression stockings or abdominal binders work by preventing blood from pooling in your legs and abdomen when you stand. Waist-high stockings are more effective than knee-high ones because a large portion of blood pools in the thighs and pelvis, not just the calves. For the best results, put them on before getting out of bed in the morning.
Regular exercise also helps over time. Cardiovascular activity strengthens the reflexes that regulate blood pressure when you change positions. If standing exercise triggers symptoms, recumbent bikes, swimming, or rowing are good starting points because they keep you in a horizontal or seated position while building cardiovascular fitness.
Medications That May Be Causing It
If you’re taking blood pressure medication and experiencing symptoms of hypotension, your dose may need adjustment. This is particularly common in older adults whose blood pressure naturally changes with age, or in anyone who has lost weight, changed their diet, or added a new medication. The same applies to antidepressants, which can lower blood pressure as a side effect, and to alpha blockers prescribed for prostate issues. Never stop a prescribed medication on your own, but do bring a log of your blood pressure readings and symptoms to your next appointment so your provider can see the pattern and make informed changes.
Tracking Your Numbers
A home blood pressure monitor gives you data that a single office visit can’t. Check your pressure at different times of day, in different positions (lying, sitting, standing), and before and after meals. Write down your readings along with any symptoms you experienced and what you were doing at the time. This log reveals whether your low pressure is consistent, positional, meal-related, or tied to specific activities, and it gives your healthcare provider the clearest possible picture of what’s happening and what to do about it.