Is it normal to feel dizzy when standing up

When you stand up, gravity pulls blood into your legs and your blood pressure begins to fall. Certain reflexes in your body compensate for this change. Your heart beats faster to pump more blood and your blood vessels constrict to prevent blood from pooling in your legs. Many drugs can affect these normal reflexes and lead to orthostatic hypotension.

These reflexes may also begin to weaken as you age. For this reason, orthostatic hypotension is more common in older adults. According to a study, about 20 percent of people older than 65 experience orthostatic hypotension. People with orthostatic hypotension may feel dizzy when they stand up. The condition is often mild and lasts for just a few minutes after standing. Some people may faint or lose consciousness. The most common symptoms of orthostatic hypotension are dizziness and lightheadedness upon standing up.

The symptoms will usually go away when sitting or lying down. Your doctor can diagnose orthostatic hypotension if your systolic blood pressure drops by 20 millimeters of mercury mm Hg , or your diastolic blood pressure drops by 10 mm Hg within 3 minutes of standing up.

Treatment for orthostatic hypotension depends on the cause. Recommended treatments may include the following lifestyle changes:. For severe cases, your doctor may prescribe drugs that work to increase blood volume or constrict blood vessels. These drugs might include:. In most cases, treating the underlying condition will cure orthostatic hypotension. With treatment, people who experience orthostatic hypotension can reduce or eliminate symptoms.

Vertigo is dizziness that is often described as a spinning sensation. It may also feel like motion sickness or as if you're leaning to one side. Dehydration could also raise your risks. Some medications, as well as pregnancy, are also associated with OH, Gottesman says. Both Low and Ikram say OH is usually a benign phenomenon. Research also shows that, while common during youth and early adulthood, the incidence of OH tends to dissipate as you age. One recent study of middle-aged adults—those ages 44 to 66—linked orthostatic hypotension with elevated risks for falls, bone fractures and death from any cause.

Low co-wrote a commentary on that study. A number of studies have linked fractures —and the resulting loss of mobility—with higher rates of all-cause mortality among older adults. But she says the big unanswered question is whether OH is causing dementia, or if OH is just a symptom of some other underlying condition—like unhealthy blood vessels—that could lead to dementia and thinking difficulties. More research has linked OH during middle-age to a greater risk for heart failure.

But again, the associations are murky. But you should mention it during your next appointment, Gottesman says. Your OH could be caused by a serious medical condition, including neurological disorders or some kind of blood-flow issue, Low says. But you likely have nothing to worry about. Contact us at letters time.

By Markham Heid. Grow your career and enhance your membership experience. Find resources for wellness, equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and social justice. Learn to effectively advocate on behalf of neurologists and their patients, and access AAN position and policy statements. By becoming a member of the AAN, you can receive exclusive information to help you at every stage of your career. Benefits include:. Join Now See All Benefits. Thank you for your patience.