How to Treat Low Blood Pressure Naturally

If your blood pressure numbers are too low, it can make it difficult to get through your day. It can also lead to a variety of other health problems if you don’t address the issue and it is left untreated. If your blood pressure is low, you may feel dizzy, confused, or have trouble concentrating on basic tasks. Generally speaking, a reading of 90/60 or lower is a sign that you have low blood pressure. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take on your own to help raise blood pressure to a consistent level. See your doctor discuss your blood pressure and seek emergency medical care if you experience any serious symptoms.

• Increasing Your Blood Pressure

Drink more water slowly over the course of the day. Drinking water is good for you to begin with, but it can help raise your blood pressure if it is too low. Keep a cup of water next to you at all times and sip on it slowly throughout the day. This may not have as pronounced of an effect if you’re younger than 40, but it’s still a healthy, risk-free way to raise your blood pressure a little.[1]

Aim to drink about 8–10 cups (1.9–2.4 L) of water daily. If you're active or feel thirsty, increase your water intake to stay hydrated.

Excessive thirst is a common symptom of low blood pressure, so this should help alleviate the symptom as well.

If you get sick of boring old water, go ahead and squirt some lime or lemon juice into the water to give it some flavor.

Wear compression stockings to increase your pressure slightly. Pick up some compression stockings that fit tight, but don’t hurt to wear. These special socks can help increase blood pressure by keeping the blood in your legs from pooling up in your feet.[2]

Warning: There are relatively few risks associated with compression stockings, but you may have some negative side effects if the stockings are too tight. Take the stockings off if you experience pain, numbness, tingling, spasms, or excessive itchiness.[3]

Maintain a low-fat diet full of fish, chicken, nuts, and vegetables. Eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean chicken, or fish. This is a good habit, to begin with, but it’s especially helpful if you have low blood pressure. Eating a healthy, low-fat diet is an effective way to ensure that your arteries stay healthy and efficient, which is often a problem for people with low blood pressure.[4]

Carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fats may make your low blood pressure worse. Avoid junk food and sugary drinks as often as possible. Limit the amount of red meat you eat and use lean white meat and fish instead. A turkey or salmon burger can be just as good as a beef burger!

Other great options include cereal, eggs, and anything with dairy in it. Cheese is a great snack if you have low blood pressure,

Oatmeal with some bananas is a phenomenal breakfast or lunch if you’re looking for a filling option.

Eat 4-5 smaller meals instead of 2-3 bigger meals to stabilize spikes. When you eat a large meal, your blood pressure may go up and down rapidly as your body digests the food. Eating smaller meals more frequently is a great way to keep your blood pressure stable over the course of the day. Keep snacks nearby and eat smaller portions to fit in more meals.[5]

Increase your daily salt intake after talking to your doctor. Simply put, the medical consensus is that too much salt is bad for you. However, for people with low blood pressure, a little extra salt is an efficient way to raise your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor to assess how much salt you should add to your diet since the amount you can safely consume depends on other health factors.[6]

Do not skip talking to your doctor about this before significantly raising your sodium intake since there are a variety of other health issues that can be triggered by excess salt. Eating too much salt for a longer period of time can lead to kidney disease, strokes, or spikes in your blood pressure.[7]

If you do start increasing your sodium intake to raise your blood pressure, make sure you continue monitoring your blood pressure regularly.

Shift your position regularly to keep symptoms at bay. Your blood may clot in certain parts of your body when you’re sitting, lying down, or standing in a position for too long. To keep your symptoms from getting worse, change your position every 15-30 minutes. Even small shifts will radically help you from getting dizzy or feeling out of it.[8]

When you stand up, do it slowly. You’re more likely to faint or get dizzy when you stand if you have low blood pressure.

Limit your alcohol consumption to keep your blood pressure stable. Aside from the fact that it’s generally not good for your health, drinking a lot of alcohol can drastically lower your blood pressure. Alcohol is a depressant, which causes your blood flow to slow down a little. Consume no more than 1 alcoholic beverage a night to keep your blood pressure safe.[9]

It’s particularly important to avoid shots and drinks with a lot of hard liquor. Drinking a lot of alcohol quickly can trigger a sudden drop in blood pressure.