Feel Dizzy When Standing Up? Doctors Reveal the Cause and Simple Remedies to Stop It
The condition becomes more common in women as we age
The disorienting and even nauseating experience of dizziness can happen for a number of reasons. Maybe you just finished an intense workout, you’re feeling motion sick after a long car ride or you’re fighting off the flu. In those cases, the reason for dizziness is obvious. But other times, you may feel dizzy simply when standing up. If you’ve ever felt lightheaded when standing up after sitting or lying down, you’re not alone. The condition not only has a name, orthostatic hypotension or postural hypotension, but experts say there are treatment options you can try at home.
What makes you feel dizzy when standing up?
“Orthostatic hypotension refers to low blood pressure when someone stands up from a sitting or lying position,” says Majid Basit, MD, a Cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Medical Group. When you’re sitting or lying down, especially for an extended period, blood can pool in your legs or abdomen. As you stand, your blood pressure drops since there’s less blood volume flowing back to the heart, triggering symptoms.
Symptoms of orthostatic hypotension
A person with orthostatic hypotension may experience:
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- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Feeling off balance
- Blurred vision
- Weakness
- Confusion
In more extreme cases, someone may even pass out from the sudden drop in blood pressure.
Some people are prone to feeling dizzy when standing up
Anyone can experience dizziness when standing up, though certain groups are more at risk. “Even healthy adults that jump out of bed may feel a little dizzy,” says Dr. Basit. “Imagine your heart and blood vessels trying very hard to make sure there is enough blood pressure going to your brain.”
Still, differences in age and gender affect how likely someone is to experience the condition. “A mild form of this disorder can affect about eight to 10 percent of women and about six to eight 6 to 8 percent of men younger than the age of 50,” says Dr. Basit. “After the age of 60, up to 20 percent of women and 15 percent of men can be affected.”
Hormones and blood pressure regulation play a role in these differences.
“Women tend to be affected more frequently and more severely than men partly due to a woman’s more active parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for blood pressure regulation,” says Dr. Basit. “Women also have higher estrogen levels and a lower center of gravity, which may play a role in this disorder.”
Dr. Basit says additional risk factors for feeling dizzy when standing up include:
- Dehydration
- Excessive alcohol use
- Long periods of bed rest
- Medications that affect blood pressure or body fluid levels
- Cardiovascular disease
How to stop feeling dizzy when standing up
Dizziness from orthostatic hypotension can be uncomfortable, but there are simple ways to prevent it. Treatments for orthostatic hypotension depend on the cause, says Evan S Jacobs, MD, a cardiologist at Conviva Care Center. “If it’s medication side effects, the medications can be adjusted. If it’s dehydration the answer may be to drink more water.”
Dr. Jacobs echoes this advice and recommends drinking more water, wearing compression stockings (which help blood flow back to your heart from your legs and feet) and standing up slowly to allow your body time to adjust. “Make sure you have something you can hold onto for a few seconds until any lightheadedness passes,” he adds..
While home remedies can help, medical care is essential if dizziness interferes with daily life. “A patient should see a doctor if the symptoms are limiting quality of life, have led to falls or near-falls or have ever resulted in loss of consciousness,” says Dr. Jacobs.
Dr. Basit also recommends visiting a primary care doctor or cardiologist to ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis.
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