If your blood pressure is reading below 90/60 mmHg and you’re feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or faint, there are several things you can do right now and over the long term to bring it up. Some are as simple as changing how you stand, what you eat, and how much water you drink. Others involve working with a doctor to find what’s driving the problem.
What to Do Right Now During an Episode
When you feel lightheaded or woozy from a blood pressure drop, the fastest thing you can do is get low. Squatting down and placing your head between your knees (sometimes called the “crash position”) rapidly pushes blood back toward your heart and brain. If squatting isn’t practical, cross your legs like scissors while standing and squeeze your thigh muscles together. You can also place one foot up on a chair or ledge and lean forward as far as you can. These moves use your leg muscles to physically compress blood vessels and push blood upward.
These physical counter-maneuvers raise systolic blood pressure by an average of about 15 mmHg, which is often enough to clear symptoms. In studies, roughly 72% of people who used them in daily life reported symptom improvement. If you’re prone to episodes, it helps to practice a few of these so they become second nature. Leg crossing with tensing is a good default because it’s subtle enough to do in public without drawing attention. When you’re ready to stand back up from a squat, combine the rise with leg tensing to avoid a second wave of lightheadedness.
Drink More Water, and Drink It Strategically
Low blood volume is one of the most common reasons blood pressure drops, and the simplest fix is drinking more fluids. Most guidelines for people with chronic low blood pressure recommend 2 to 3 liters of water per day. That’s roughly 8 to 12 cups. If you’re not used to drinking that much, build up gradually over a week or two.
Timing matters too. Drinking 12 to 16 ounces of water about 15 to 20 minutes before a meal can prevent the blood pressure dip that some people experience after eating. Water on its own has a measurable pressor effect, meaning it temporarily raises blood pressure even in healthy people. Keeping a water bottle with you throughout the day is one of the lowest-effort, highest-impact habits you can adopt.
Increase Your Salt Intake
This is the rare situation where more salt is actually the medical recommendation. Salt helps your body retain water, which increases blood volume and raises blood pressure. For people with orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure that drops when you stand), expert guidelines suggest anywhere from 2,400 to 4,000 mg of sodium per day, and some specialists recommend even higher amounts up to 4,800 mg for specific conditions like POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). For reference, the average American already eats about 3,400 mg per day, so you may only need a modest increase.
Practical ways to add sodium include salting your food more liberally, eating broth-based soups, adding pickles or olives as snacks, or using salt tablets if your doctor recommends them. One study found that adding roughly 2,400 mg of supplemental sodium per day for two months improved both standing tolerance and blood flow to the brain in people with fainting episodes. If you have kidney disease or heart failure, talk to your doctor before increasing salt, because it can worsen those conditions.
Adjust How and What You Eat
Large meals pull blood toward your digestive tract, which can cause blood pressure to drop noticeably in the hour or two after eating. This is called postprandial hypotension, and it’s especially common in older adults. The fix is straightforward: eat six smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large ones, and keep carbohydrates moderate at each sitting. High-carb meals cause the biggest blood pressure drops because they trigger more blood flow to the gut.
A caffeinated drink before breakfast or lunch can also help, since caffeine temporarily constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Just be aware that regular caffeine use builds tolerance, so this trick works best if you’re not already a heavy coffee drinker.
Try Compression Garments
Compression stockings work by gently squeezing your legs and abdomen, preventing blood from pooling in your lower body when you stand. For low blood pressure, experts typically recommend waist-high stockings rated at 20 to 30 mmHg or 30 to 40 mmHg of pressure. Waist-high versions work better than knee-highs or thigh-highs because blood can pool throughout your entire lower body, including your thighs and abdominal area.
The trade-off is comfort. Waist-high compression garments can feel restrictive, especially in warm weather. If you find them intolerable, knee-highs or thigh-highs still provide some benefit. Put them on first thing in the morning before you get out of bed, since that’s when blood hasn’t yet had a chance to pool downward.
Identify What’s Causing It
Low blood pressure isn’t always a standalone problem. It’s often a symptom of something else, and fixing the root cause can resolve it entirely. Common culprits include dehydration, blood loss, nutritional deficiencies (particularly iron, vitamin B12, and folate), thyroid problems, adrenal insufficiency, and heart conditions that reduce how much blood your heart pumps. Medications are another frequent cause, especially blood pressure drugs, diuretics, antidepressants, and medications for Parkinson’s disease.
If your blood pressure has recently dropped or you’ve developed new symptoms like persistent dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision, or fainting, it’s worth getting bloodwork and a medical evaluation. Sometimes the fix is as simple as adjusting a medication dose or correcting an iron deficiency.
Medications for Chronic Low Blood Pressure
When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, there are prescription options. The two most commonly used medications work in different ways. One increases your blood volume by helping your kidneys retain more sodium and water. The other directly tightens your blood vessels, raising resistance to blood flow and pushing pressure up. A third option works by boosting levels of a stress hormone called norepinephrine, which raises blood pressure through its effect on both blood vessels and heart rate.
These medications are typically reserved for people whose low blood pressure significantly limits daily functioning, and they all require monitoring because they can raise blood pressure too much when you’re lying down. Your doctor will likely want you to try fluid intake, salt, compression, and counter-maneuvers first, since those approaches carry fewer risks and work well for most people.
Daily Habits That Help Over Time
Beyond the big interventions, small changes in how you move through your day make a difference. Rise slowly from bed or from a seated position, giving your body 10 to 15 seconds to adjust before walking. Sleep with the head of your bed slightly elevated (about 4 to 6 inches), which trains your body to retain more fluid overnight. Avoid standing still for long periods; if you have to, shift your weight, rise on your toes, and squeeze your calf muscles periodically. Avoid hot showers and baths, since heat dilates blood vessels and drops pressure further.
Alcohol also lowers blood pressure, so limiting intake or drinking with food rather than on an empty stomach helps avoid compounding the problem. Regular moderate exercise, particularly activities that strengthen your leg muscles, improves your body’s ability to pump blood back to your heart when you’re upright. Swimming and recumbent cycling are good starting options if standing exercise triggers symptoms.