A diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) that consistently drops below 60 mmHg can reduce blood flow to the heart and brain, and there are several practical ways to bring it up. The normal target is a bottom number between 60 and 80 mmHg, as part of an overall reading below 120/80. Low blood pressure in general is defined as a reading below 90/60.
Raising your diastolic pressure involves increasing your blood volume, improving blood vessel tone, and addressing any underlying causes. Here’s what works and why it matters.
Why a Low Bottom Number Matters
Your diastolic pressure reflects the force in your arteries between heartbeats, specifically during the moment when blood flows into the coronary arteries that feed the heart muscle. When that pressure is too low, your heart may not receive enough oxygen and nutrients to function well.
Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people with diastolic readings between 60 and 69 mmHg were twice as likely to show subtle signs of heart damage compared to those with readings between 80 and 89 mmHg. Beyond the heart, low diastolic pressure can also cause dizziness, fatigue, and fainting because the brain isn’t getting adequate blood flow between beats.
What Causes Low Diastolic Pressure
The most common driver, especially in adults over 50, is stiffening of the aorta. As the body’s largest artery loses flexibility with age, it stops absorbing and gradually releasing the force of each heartbeat. Instead, pressure spikes during the beat (raising the top number) and drops sharply between beats (lowering the bottom number). This is why many older adults have a wide gap between their systolic and diastolic readings.
Other causes include dehydration, prolonged bed rest, nutritional deficiencies (particularly B12, folate, and iron), certain heart valve problems, and medications like alpha blockers, beta blockers, or diuretics that lower blood pressure as a side effect. Identifying the root cause matters because the best strategy depends on what’s driving the drop.
Increase Your Fluid and Salt Intake
Blood volume is the most direct lever you have over blood pressure. When you’re even mildly dehydrated, your blood volume drops and your pressure falls with it. General fluid intake guidelines recommend about 125 ounces (3.7 liters) per day for men and 91 ounces (2.7 liters) for women, though people with low blood pressure often need to be on the higher end of that range or above it. European cardiology guidelines specifically recommend 2 to 3 liters of fluids daily for people with orthostatic hypotension.
Salt plays a key role because sodium helps your body retain water, expanding blood volume. For most people, the health message is to eat less salt. But if your diastolic pressure runs low, the opposite may apply. Guidelines for people with low blood pressure recommend between 6 and 10 grams of sodium chloride per day, which is roughly 1 to 2 teaspoons of table salt. That’s significantly more than the 2,300 mg (about one teaspoon) limit recommended for the general population. You can increase your intake by salting food more generously, eating broth-based soups, or adding electrolyte drinks to your routine. If you have kidney disease or heart failure, talk with your provider before increasing salt, since those conditions handle sodium differently.
Use Compression Garments
When you stand up, gravity pulls blood toward your legs and abdomen. If your blood vessels don’t constrict quickly enough to compensate, your blood pressure drops. Compression stockings counteract this by physically squeezing the lower body and pushing blood back toward the heart.
Start with stockings rated at 20 to 30 mmHg of pressure, which provides firm compression without being too difficult to put on. If that feels like too much, 15 to 20 mmHg is a gentler option. If 20 to 30 doesn’t seem to help enough, you can step up to 30 to 40 mmHg. Waist-high stockings or abdominal binders work better than knee-high socks because they also prevent blood from pooling in the abdomen. Wearing them during the day, especially when you’ll be standing for long periods, can make a noticeable difference in dizziness and energy levels.
Exercise to Improve Vascular Tone
Regular physical activity strengthens the heart and improves the responsiveness of your blood vessels, both of which support healthier diastolic pressure. Moderate aerobic exercise like walking, swimming, or cycling for 30 minutes most days is the standard recommendation for cardiovascular health overall.
Isometric exercises, where you hold a contraction without moving the joint, have also shown specific benefits. In a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, participants who did isometric handgrip training three times per week for eight weeks saw their diastolic pressure improve. The protocol involved squeezing a hand grip at about 30% of maximum effort for 2 minutes, resting 4 minutes, and repeating for 4 sets per session. While this particular study measured a modest decrease rather than increase in diastolic pressure in participants who started with normal readings, the broader point is that isometric training improves vascular function and helps the body regulate pressure more effectively.
One important caution: if your low diastolic pressure causes dizziness when you stand, change positions slowly. Rise from sitting or lying down in stages, and avoid standing still for long periods. Crossing your legs while standing or clenching your thigh muscles can help push blood upward in a pinch.
Adjust Your Eating Patterns
Large meals divert blood to the digestive system, which can temporarily lower blood pressure elsewhere in the body. Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day reduces this effect. Limiting refined carbohydrates at meals can also help, since high-carb meals tend to cause a sharper post-meal blood pressure drop.
Caffeine temporarily raises blood pressure by constricting blood vessels, which is why some people with hypotension find a cup of coffee or tea before activities helpful. The effect is short-lived, usually lasting an hour or two, and it diminishes if you drink caffeine regularly. Still, having a cup before a morning walk or errand can help bridge the gap when your pressure is at its lowest.
When Lifestyle Changes Aren’t Enough
If your diastolic pressure remains problematically low despite hydration, salt, compression, and exercise, there are medications that can help. One commonly used option works by boosting blood volume, mimicking what your adrenal glands do naturally to retain salt and water. Another works by tightening blood vessels so they hold pressure more effectively between heartbeats. Both require a prescription and monitoring, since raising blood pressure too much creates its own risks.
It’s also worth reviewing any medications you currently take. Blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, and prostate medications can all lower diastolic readings as a side effect. Sometimes adjusting the dose or timing of an existing medication is all it takes. If your low diastolic pressure is paired with a high systolic number (for example, 150/55), that pattern points specifically to arterial stiffness and may need a different treatment approach than general low blood pressure.
Practical Daily Routine
Putting these strategies together into a daily routine makes them easier to sustain. Start the morning with a full glass of water before getting out of bed, and rise slowly in stages. Wear compression garments during waking hours, especially if you’ll be on your feet. Spread your meals into four or five smaller sittings rather than three large ones, and salt them generously unless you’ve been told otherwise. Aim for consistent hydration throughout the day rather than catching up in the evening. Include some form of exercise most days, even if it’s a 20-minute walk, and consider adding a few minutes of hand-grip or wall-sit exercises a few times per week.
Track your blood pressure at home at different times of day to see what’s working. Diastolic readings can vary significantly between morning and evening and between sitting and standing, so consistent measurement gives you a clearer picture than occasional readings at a clinic.