Low blood pressure, defined as a reading below 90/60 mmHg, can be raised through a combination of dietary changes, physical strategies, and in some cases medication. Most people searching for this information experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting when they stand up, and the good news is that several effective approaches don’t require a prescription.
Increase Your Salt and Fluid Intake
Salt is the single most effective dietary tool for raising blood pressure. It works by pulling more water into your bloodstream, which increases blood volume and pushes pressure up. The American Society of Hypertension recommends 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day for people with orthostatic hypotension (the kind that makes you dizzy when you stand). The Canadian Cardiovascular Society sets its target at 4,000 mg daily. For context, the average American already consumes about 3,400 mg, so you may only need a modest bump. A practical approach is adding 1,000 to 2,000 mg of sodium to your diet three times per day through salted foods, broth, or salt tablets.
One study found that patients who supplemented roughly 2,400 mg of sodium daily for two months saw measurable improvements in their ability to tolerate standing, along with better blood vessel control and brain blood flow regulation.
Water matters just as much. Drinking 2 to 3 liters of fluid per day is a standard recommendation for people with low blood pressure. Water raises blood pressure not by expanding blood volume directly, but by triggering your nervous system to tighten blood vessels. Research from the American Heart Association showed that drinking water increases the release of norepinephrine (a chemical that constricts blood vessels) and boosts nerve signals to the legs, both of which help maintain pressure when you stand up.
Physical Maneuvers That Work Immediately
When you feel lightheaded or sense your blood pressure dropping, certain body positions can buy you time by squeezing blood back toward your heart and brain. The American Heart Association recommends these specific counter-maneuvers:
- Leg crossing with muscle tensing: Cross your legs and squeeze your leg, abdominal, and buttock muscles simultaneously. This works while lying down or standing.
- Squatting: Lower yourself into a squat, which compresses the blood vessels in your legs and pushes blood upward. Tense your lower body and abdominal muscles during the squat, and continue tensing as you stand back up.
- Isometric hand gripping: Hook your fingers together and pull your arms in opposite directions with maximum force. Alternatively, clench your fist as hard as you can around any small object.
These aren’t permanent fixes, but they can prevent fainting in the moment and give you 30 to 60 seconds of improved blood flow to your brain while you move to a safer position.
Wear Compression Garments
Compression stockings prevent blood from pooling in your lower body, which is a major cause of blood pressure drops when standing. Most experts recommend waist-high stockings rated at 20 to 30 mmHg or 30 to 40 mmHg of pressure. Waist-high is preferred over knee-high or thigh-high because blood can pool throughout the entire lower half of your body, including the thighs and abdomen. Knee-highs are better than nothing, but they won’t be as effective.
The stockings work best when put on first thing in the morning before you get out of bed, since blood hasn’t yet had a chance to settle in your legs.
Adjust How and When You Eat
Blood pressure naturally drops after meals because your body diverts blood flow to your digestive system. This is called postprandial hypotension, and it can make symptoms noticeably worse after lunch or dinner. Two changes help: eat six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones, and keep carbohydrate content low in each meal. Large, carb-heavy meals cause the biggest post-meal blood pressure dips.
Caffeine as a Short-Term Boost
Caffeine raises blood pressure by 5 to 10 points in people who don’t consume it regularly. This effect is short-lived and diminishes with habitual use, so it works best as an occasional tool rather than a daily strategy. A cup of coffee before a time when you’ll be on your feet (like a morning commute) can provide a temporary buffer. Up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, roughly four standard cups of coffee, is considered safe for most adults.
If you already drink coffee every day, this approach likely won’t make a meaningful difference, since your body has already adapted to the caffeine.
Medications for Persistent Low Blood Pressure
When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, two medications are specifically approved for orthostatic hypotension. Midodrine works by tightening blood vessels directly, raising the baseline resistance in your circulatory system. Droxidopa takes a different route, acting as a building block your body converts into norepinephrine, the same vessel-constricting chemical that water drinking stimulates naturally. Both are taken three times daily and should be avoided close to bedtime because they can cause high blood pressure while lying down.
A third option, fludrocortisone, works by making your kidneys retain more sodium, which expands blood volume. It also makes blood vessels more responsive to constriction signals. This one is used off-label, meaning it’s not officially approved for hypotension, but it’s widely prescribed for it.
Warning Signs That Need Urgent Attention
Low blood pressure on its own isn’t always dangerous, but certain symptoms signal that your organs aren’t getting enough blood flow. Confusion, cold or clammy skin, rapid shallow breathing, blurred vision, and fainting all suggest your blood pressure has dropped to a level your body can no longer compensate for. A sudden drop, especially after an injury, infection, allergic reaction, or severe dehydration, can progress to shock. If you or someone near you experiences these symptoms alongside very low readings, that’s a situation requiring emergency care, not home remedies.