Raising a low diastolic blood pressure typically involves increasing fluid and salt intake, wearing compression garments, reviewing medications that may be pushing it too low, and addressing any underlying cause like arterial stiffness. Diastolic pressure is the bottom number in a blood pressure reading, reflecting the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats while your heart refills with blood. A healthy diastolic reading falls below 80 mmHg, but when it drops below 60, you may start feeling lightheaded, fatigued, or dizzy, especially when standing.
Why Low Diastolic Pressure Matters
Your coronary arteries, the ones that feed your heart muscle, receive most of their blood supply during the diastolic phase, when the heart is relaxed. When diastolic pressure drops too low, your heart may not get enough oxygen-rich blood. Research published in the AHA journal Hypertension found that people with a diastolic pressure below 70 mmHg had significantly higher rates of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke compared to those in the 70 to 89 range. Among people with existing cardiovascular disease, those with low diastolic pressure were roughly five times more likely to experience a recurrent cardiovascular event.
This risk is especially pronounced when low diastolic pressure occurs alongside a wide pulse pressure (a large gap between the top and bottom numbers). People with a pulse pressure of 68 or higher combined with diastolic pressure under 70 had the worst outcomes, with cardiovascular event rates of 76% compared to 46 to 54% in other groups. The combination signals stiff arteries and poor blood flow to small vessels throughout the body.
Common Causes of Low Diastolic Pressure
In younger adults, low diastolic pressure can result from dehydration, prolonged bed rest, or medications. In older adults, the most common driver is arterial stiffening. As arteries lose their flexibility with age, systolic pressure (the top number) tends to rise while diastolic pressure falls. This pattern, sometimes called isolated diastolic hypotension, is primarily a result of reduced aortic compliance: the aorta can no longer stretch and recoil effectively, so pressure drops faster between heartbeats.
Several categories of medication also lower diastolic pressure as a side effect:
- Blood pressure medications: diuretics, alpha blockers, and beta blockers are common culprits
- Parkinson’s disease medications
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Erectile dysfunction medications, particularly when combined with nitrate heart medications
If your diastolic pressure has dropped after starting a new medication, that connection is worth discussing with whoever prescribed it. Adjusting the dose or switching to a different drug can sometimes resolve the problem without sacrificing the treatment’s primary benefit.
Increase Your Salt and Fluid Intake
For most health conditions, you hear advice to cut salt. Low blood pressure is the exception. Salt helps your body retain water, which increases blood volume and raises pressure. Some physicians recommend at least 6 grams of salt per day for people with low blood pressure, roughly double the amount typically advised for the general population. You can increase salt intake through food choices (broth-based soups, olives, pickles, salted nuts) or by simply adding more salt to meals.
Hydration matters just as much as salt. When your blood volume drops from not drinking enough, pressure falls throughout the system. Your body responds to dehydration by concentrating the blood, which triggers hormones that constrict blood vessels and retain water, but this compensatory mechanism has limits. Drinking water consistently through the day, aiming for roughly 6 to 8 cups (about 1.5 to 2 liters), keeps blood volume stable. Some people find that drinking a full glass of water 15 to 20 minutes before standing up from a seated or lying position helps prevent dizziness.
Use Compression Stockings
Compression stockings squeeze the veins in your lower legs, pushing blood back toward your heart and reducing the amount that pools in your legs. This increases the volume of blood available to your central circulation, which raises both systolic and diastolic pressure. Graduated compression stockings, which are tighter at the ankle and looser toward the knee, are the most effective design. They typically apply 20 to 30 mmHg of pressure at the ankle, though higher grades exist for more severe cases. You can find medical-grade options at pharmacies or through a prescription. Wearing them during the day, particularly during long periods of standing, provides the most benefit.
Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals
Your body diverts a significant amount of blood to the digestive system after eating. Large meals amplify this effect, temporarily pulling blood away from your central circulation and dropping your pressure. Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day reduces the magnitude of this post-meal blood pressure dip. Limiting refined carbohydrates at meals can also help, since high-carb meals tend to cause a more dramatic post-meal drop.
Change Positions Slowly
One of the most immediate and practical strategies is simply changing how you move. When you go from lying down to standing, gravity pulls blood into your legs. Normally, your body compensates within seconds by tightening blood vessels and increasing heart rate. But with low diastolic pressure, this reflex may not keep up, leaving you lightheaded or dizzy. Sit on the edge of the bed for 30 seconds before standing. Flex your calf muscles a few times while seated to push blood upward. If you feel lightheaded after standing, crossing your legs and squeezing your thighs together can provide a quick boost in pressure.
Exercise Regularly
Consistent aerobic exercise improves the tone and responsiveness of your blood vessels, helping them constrict more effectively when you need pressure to rise. Walking, swimming, and cycling are all good options. The key is consistency rather than intensity. People who exercise regularly tend to have more responsive cardiovascular reflexes, meaning their bodies adjust blood pressure more efficiently during position changes and daily activity. If you currently experience dizziness during exercise, starting with recumbent activities like a stationary bike (where you’re seated and reclined) avoids the challenge of working against gravity.
When Arterial Stiffness Is the Cause
If your diastolic pressure is low because of age-related arterial stiffening, the strategies above can help manage symptoms, but the underlying mechanism is harder to reverse. Stiff arteries cause systolic pressure to climb while diastolic pressure sinks, widening the gap between the two numbers. This creates a difficult treatment situation: medications that lower systolic pressure to a safe range may push diastolic pressure even lower. The 2025 AHA/ACC blood pressure guidelines set a general treatment target of under 130/80 for most adults, but clinicians increasingly recognize that aggressively lowering systolic pressure in older adults can sometimes worsen diastolic perfusion, reducing blood flow to the heart and brain.
If your systolic pressure is elevated while your diastolic is unusually low, the treatment balance requires careful monitoring. Lifestyle strategies like salt intake, compression stockings, and hydration become especially important in this scenario because they support blood volume and circulation without the tradeoffs that come with adjusting medication doses.