Postural hypotension: what it is and what to do right away

Ever stood up too fast and felt your head spin or almost blacked out? That’s postural hypotension, also called orthostatic hypotension. It happens when your blood pressure drops as you move from lying or sitting to standing. You don’t need medical training to handle the moment, but knowing the causes and simple fixes can stop it from happening again.

Quick steps if you feel dizzy or faint

If you feel lightheaded, sit or lie down immediately. Raising your legs above heart level helps blood flow back to your brain fast. If you can’t lie down, sit and put your head between your knees or slowly bend forward. Stay still until the dizziness eases—rushing to stand again makes it worse.

Other quick moves that help: cross your legs while sitting and squeeze them, clench your buttocks, or tighten your belly muscles. These actions push blood toward your heart. Drink a glass of water if you can—low fluid volume is a common cause.

Common causes and how to prevent repeat episodes

Several things can trigger postural hypotension. Medicines that lower blood pressure (including some for heart disease, depression, or Parkinson’s), dehydration from not drinking enough or from diuretics, heavy alcohol, recent illness, or long bed rest are top causes. Certain conditions—like diabetes, Parkinson’s, and some heart problems—can damage the nerves that control blood pressure.

Prevention is mostly practical. Stand up slowly: sit on the edge of the bed for a minute before you stand. Drink more fluids and add a bit more salt if your doctor agrees. Small, frequent meals reduce sudden drops after eating. Wear compression stockings if you get swelling in your legs. Avoid hot tubs and very hot showers, which can make drops worse.

Ask your doctor to review your medicines—sometimes a simple dosage tweak or switching drugs stops the problem. If you have diabetes or neurological symptoms, mention those too. Simple home checks can help: measure your blood pressure lying down and again at 1 and 3 minutes after standing. A drop of about 20 mmHg systolic or 10 mmHg diastolic suggests orthostatic hypotension.

When to seek medical help? If you faint, hit your head, have chest pain, shortness of breath, or repeated episodes despite home fixes, see a doctor. They may order tests like standing blood pressures, blood work, ECG, or a tilt-table test to find the cause and suggest treatments. Some patients benefit from medicine to raise baseline blood pressure, but that’s only under medical guidance.

Postural hypotension is common and often manageable. With a few everyday habits—slow position changes, better hydration, and a med review—you can cut down episodes and feel more confident standing up, getting out of bed, or rising from a chair.