Low blood pressure, generally defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg, can cause dizziness, fainting, and fatigue that disrupts daily life. The good news is that several practical strategies can raise your blood pressure, from simple dietary changes to physical techniques that work in seconds. Most people with chronically low blood pressure can manage it effectively without medication.
Drink More Water
Increasing your fluid intake is one of the simplest and most effective ways to raise blood pressure. Water expands your blood volume, which directly increases the pressure inside your blood vessels. For people with low blood pressure, the recommended daily fluid intake is 2 to 3 liters (roughly 68 to 100 ounces). That’s noticeably more than what many people drink in a typical day.
Drinking water can also provide a short-term boost when you need it most. In healthy subjects, water drinking acutely improves the body’s ability to handle standing up without a blood pressure drop. If you tend to feel lightheaded when getting out of bed, drinking a full glass of water 15 to 30 minutes before standing can make a real difference. Keep a water bottle nearby throughout the day and sip consistently rather than trying to catch up all at once.
Increase Your Salt Intake
Salt raises blood pressure by helping your body retain water, which increases blood volume. This is the opposite of what people with high blood pressure are told, but for those with low blood pressure, more salt is genuinely helpful. The American Society of Hypertension recommends 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day for people with orthostatic disorders like orthostatic hypotension (the kind that hits when you stand up). Some guidelines go even higher, suggesting up to 4,800 mg of sodium daily for conditions like postural tachycardia syndrome.
For context, the average American already consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. If your blood pressure runs low, you may need to intentionally add salt to your meals or choose saltier foods rather than avoiding them. Salty broths, pickles, olives, and salted nuts are easy additions. Some people find it helpful to keep salt packets or electrolyte drinks on hand. Pairing increased salt with increased water intake works best, since salt without enough fluid can leave you dehydrated.
Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals
Blood pressure naturally drops after eating because your body diverts blood flow to your digestive system. For people who already have low blood pressure, this post-meal dip can cause noticeable symptoms like dizziness or fatigue. Eating six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones reduces the size of that blood pressure drop after each meal.
Carbohydrates are the biggest culprit. High-carb meals cause a more dramatic blood pressure dip than meals built around protein and fat. Swapping a large pasta dish for a smaller portion with added protein and vegetables can prevent that sluggish, lightheaded feeling after lunch. If you do eat a carb-heavy meal, staying seated for a while afterward gives your body time to stabilize.
Use Physical Counterpressure Maneuvers
When you feel dizzy or lightheaded from low blood pressure, specific muscle-tensing techniques can raise your blood pressure within seconds. The American Heart Association recommends several of these maneuvers:
- Leg crossing with muscle tensing: Cross your legs and squeeze your leg, abdominal, and buttock muscles tightly. You can do this while standing or lying down.
- Squatting: Lower yourself into a squat position while tensing your lower body and abdominal muscles. Stay there until symptoms ease, then stand up slowly.
- Hand gripping: Grip your opposing hands with interlocked fingers and pull your arms in opposite directions as hard as you can.
- Fist clenching: Clench your fist at maximum force, with or without an object in your hand.
These work by squeezing blood out of your muscles and back toward your heart and brain. They’re especially useful when you feel a wave of dizziness coming on, like after standing up quickly or being on your feet for a long time. Learning to recognize your early warning signs and responding with one of these techniques can prevent fainting episodes.
Wear Compression Garments
Compression stockings prevent blood from pooling in your lower body, which is a common cause of low blood pressure symptoms when standing. Most experts recommend garments rated at 20 to 30 mmHg or 30 to 40 mmHg of compression. The higher the number, the tighter the squeeze.
Waist-high stockings are the most effective option because blood pooling can occur throughout your legs, thighs, and abdomen. Thigh-high or knee-high versions still help but won’t address pooling above the knee. If waist-high stockings feel too uncomfortable to wear consistently, knee-highs are better than nothing. The key is wearing them during the hours you’re most upright and active, not just when symptoms strike.
Try Caffeine Strategically
Caffeine can raise blood pressure by about 5 to 10 points in people who don’t drink it regularly. This effect is most pronounced in those who aren’t habitual coffee or tea drinkers. If you consume caffeine daily, you’ve likely built a tolerance, and it won’t meaningfully affect your blood pressure anymore.
For people with low blood pressure who don’t already drink coffee, a cup before situations that tend to trigger symptoms (like a long morning commute or a meal) can provide a temporary boost. Up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, roughly four standard cups of coffee, is considered safe for most adults. The blood pressure effect typically peaks 30 to 120 minutes after drinking. If you want to test whether caffeine helps you, check your blood pressure before and after a cup to see how much of a bump you get.
Elevate Your Head While Sleeping
Sleeping with your head elevated at about 10 degrees, which translates to raising the head of your bed by roughly 9 inches, can help your body manage blood pressure transitions better in the morning. This slight tilt reduces the dramatic shift your cardiovascular system faces when you go from lying flat to standing upright.
You can achieve this by placing bed risers or sturdy blocks under the legs at the head of your bed. Stacking pillows doesn’t work as well because it bends your neck rather than tilting your whole body. The goal is a gentle, consistent incline from feet to head. Many people who feel their worst first thing in the morning find this adjustment noticeably reduces that early-day dizziness.
Medications for Persistent Low Blood Pressure
When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, two prescription medications are commonly used. One works by tightening blood vessels directly, raising blood pressure through vasoconstriction. It’s short-acting and taken three times a day, making it useful for covering your most active hours. The other is a synthetic hormone that helps your kidneys retain more sodium, gradually increasing your blood volume over time. It also makes blood vessels more responsive to constriction signals.
Both medications require careful dose adjustments and monitoring. They’re typically reserved for people whose low blood pressure significantly affects their quality of life despite consistent use of the non-drug strategies above. If you’re implementing all the lifestyle measures and still struggling with symptoms, these are the options a provider would likely discuss with you.
Warning Signs That Need Immediate Attention
Low blood pressure that causes occasional mild dizziness is usually manageable at home. But certain symptoms signal something more serious: confusion, cold or clammy skin, rapid shallow breathing, a weak and rapid pulse, or fainting that doesn’t resolve quickly after lying down. A sudden, significant drop in blood pressure can indicate shock, severe dehydration, or an allergic reaction, all of which require emergency care. If your blood pressure drops well below your normal baseline and you can’t bring it up with fluids and rest, that’s a situation worth acting on urgently.