Low blood pressure is a weird one. Usually, we're bombarded with warnings about hypertension—the "silent killer" that keeps doctors up at night. But when you’re the one standing up too fast and feeling the room tilt or watching your vision go fuzzy at the edges, high numbers are the last thing on your mind. You’re wondering, what can I do to raise my blood pressure before I actually hit the floor?
It’s called hypotension. Specifically, if it happens when you stand, it’s orthostatic hypotension. Honestly, it’s frustrating. You feel weak, maybe a little nauseous, and deeply fatigued. While a reading of 120/80 mmHg is the "gold standard," many people live perfectly healthy lives at 90/60 mmHg. It only becomes a problem when the symptoms start crashing your party.
Salt is suddenly your best friend
We’ve been conditioned to view the salt shaker as a tiny porcelain villain. For most of the population, that’s fair. But if you’re struggling with chronically low numbers, sodium is the most direct tool you have. Sodium holds onto water in your bloodstream. More water means more volume. More volume means higher pressure against those arterial walls.
Don't just start eating bags of potato chips, though. That’s a recipe for a stomach ache and a nutritional nightmare. Instead, look at high-quality sources. Sea salt on a sliced avocado. A cup of real bone broth or a standard bouillon cube in hot water. Some people even find relief by adding a pinch of salt to their lemon water in the morning. According to the Mayo Clinic, increasing sodium intake can significantly help, but you have to be careful. If you overdo it, you risk swinging the pendulum too far the other way. It’s a balance.
The fluid factor (It’s not just water)
You’re probably tired of hearing that you need to drink more water. I get it. But here’s the science: dehydration shrinks your blood volume. If you’re asking what can I do to raise my blood pressure, the answer almost always involves a glass of something.
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But water alone isn't always the hero. If you’re low on electrolytes—potassium, magnesium, and that aforementioned sodium—the water just passes right through you. You pee it out, and your blood pressure stays in the basement. Try coconut water or an electrolyte powder. Avoid the ones loaded with forty grams of cane sugar; you want the minerals, not the glucose spike.
Compression socks are actually cool now
Okay, maybe "cool" is a stretch. But they work. When you stand up, gravity pulls your blood toward your feet. It’s basic physics. If your veins aren't snapping back efficiently to push that blood back up to your heart and brain, you get dizzy.
Compression stockings apply gentle pressure to your lower legs. This keeps the blood "moving upward" rather than pooling in your calves. Pro tip: put them on before you even get out of bed in the morning. If you wait until you’re already feeling lightheaded, you’ve missed the best window for prevention. Athletes use them for recovery; you’re just using them to keep your brain oxygenated.
Watch your "Postprandial" drops
That’s a fancy medical term for the slump that happens after you eat. When you consume a massive meal—think a huge bowl of pasta or a heavy Thanksgiving-style dinner—your body redirects a massive amount of blood to your digestive tract.
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Your gut needs that blood to process the food. But if your system is already struggling, it "steals" that blood from the rest of your body. Your blood pressure elsewhere tanks.
Try smaller, more frequent meals. Focus on complex carbs and protein. Avoid the "sugar crash" cycle. If you notice you’re always dizzy about thirty minutes after lunch, your diet is likely the culprit. Dr. Sanjeev Javia, a specialist in human performance, often notes that blood sugar stability is inextricably linked to how our vascular system behaves. Keep the spikes low, and the pressure often follows suit.
The "Cross-Leg" trick and other physical maneuvers
If you feel a dizzy spell coming on, there are physical "hacks" to force your pressure up.
- Cross your legs while standing. This squeezes the veins in your legs and can help push blood back toward the heart.
- The Thigh Squeeze. If you're sitting, squeeze your thigh muscles hard.
- The Clenched Fist. Clench your fists and tensed your arm muscles.
These are temporary fixes, sure. But they are incredibly effective if you’re in a grocery store line and feel like you might faint. It’s about manual intervention in your own circulatory system.
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Licensing the "Vice": Caffeine and Alcohol
This is where it gets nuanced. Caffeine can provide a short-term spike in blood pressure. It stimulates the cardiovascular system and can narrows the blood vessels. For some, a cup of coffee is the perfect "pick-me-up" for a low-pressure afternoon.
However, caffeine is also a diuretic. It makes you pee. If you use coffee to raise your pressure but forget to drink water, you’ll end up more dehydrated and lower than where you started.
Alcohol is the opposite. It’s a vasodilator. It opens up the vessels and almost always drops blood pressure. If you’re already prone to hypotension, that evening glass of wine might be why you feel like lead the next morning. It’s worth experimenting with cutting it out for a week to see if your baseline numbers improve.
When to see a doctor (The serious stuff)
I’m a writer, not your cardiologist. While these tips help with "lifestyle" low blood pressure, sometimes the underlying cause is something only a professional can fix.
Anemia is a big one. If you don't have enough red blood cells (often due to low B12 or iron), your blood can't carry oxygen effectively. Heart valve problems, endocrine issues like Addison's disease, or even certain medications for anxiety or depression can tank your numbers. If you’re experiencing fainting (syncope), chest pain, or severe shortness of breath, stop reading articles and go get an EKG.
Medications that might be the culprit
Sometimes the answer to what can I do to raise my blood pressure is actually "stop taking that one thing." Diuretics, beta-blockers, and even some over-the-counter supplements can have hypotensive side effects. Always do a "medication audit" with your primary care physician. You’d be surprised how often a tiny adjustment in dosage can fix a year-long struggle with dizziness.
Actionable Steps for Today
- Measure your baseline: Take your blood pressure at the same time every day for three days—once while sitting and once immediately after standing. Record the numbers.
- The Morning Liter: Drink at least 16-20 ounces of water before you have your first cup of coffee. Add a pinch of sea salt if you aren't on a sodium-restricted diet.
- Elevate the head of your bed: Use an extra pillow or a bed wedge. This helps your body adjust to gravity more easily when you wake up.
- Move your ankles: Before standing up from a chair or bed, pump your ankles up and down ten times. This "primes the pump" for your circulation.
- Audit your meals: Switch from three big meals to five smaller snacks/meals to prevent post-eating drops.