Why does standing increase blood pressure

The prevalence is higher in older people because they're more likely to take drugs that can worsen OH, such as beta blockers which reduce the heart rate and alpha blockers which can reduce blood pressure; they're used in men to treat an enlarged prostate. In addition to a getting a careful review of your medications, if you have signs of OH, doctors recommend that you drink water throughout the day, drink little or no alcohol, and stand up slowly, especially when rising from bed in the morning.

Compression stockings that squeeze the legs may also help. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? Preventing preeclampsia may be as simple as taking an aspirin.

Caring for an aging parent? Tips for enjoying holiday meals. A conversation about reducing the harms of social media. Menopause and memory: Know the facts. How to get your child to put away toys. So why are there variations in the findings, especially with the older studies? Investigators suggest that the variations could be due to differences in the populations studied, such as age or underlying health conditions. The technique and order of the blood pressure measurements could also play a role.

The only exception may be in situations where someone has an underlying health condition. For consistency, medical experts suggest that your blood pressure readings should always be taken in the same position.

This makes it easier to compare your readings and to notice any changes. Your blood pressure can also change as you move from one position to another.

This may be particularly noticeable when you move from a sitting or lying position to a standing position. When you stand, gravity causes blood to pool in your lower body. This can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure. However, your body has a way to adjust to this change.

Certain reflexes in your body send a signal to your brain when a drop in blood pressure is detected. Your brain then tells your heart to beat faster in order to pump more blood. This works to stabilize your blood pressure.

However, sometimes this process can be interrupted, causing the drop in blood pressure to last longer than normal. As a result, you may feel lightheaded , dizzy , or faint for a short while after you stand. This condition is called orthostatic hypotension or postural hypotension. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including:. The American Heart Association recommends sitting down to take your blood pressure. They also note that while there are differences in the right arm versus the left arm, these are small and only cause a variation of 10 mm Hg or less.

Additional posture-related factors can also affect your blood pressure readings. There are some instances where you may have your blood pressure taken lying down. If you have orthostatic hypotension, your blood pressure may be taken in two different positions — sitting and standing. This can help your doctor monitor how your blood pressure changes when you move from a sitting to a standing position. If you need to measure your blood pressure at home , the following tips may be helpful in getting accurate readings:.

Your treatment plan may need to be adjusted. It's even more urgent to see a doctor if you lose consciousness, even for just a few seconds. Keep a record of your symptoms, when they occurred, how long they lasted and what you were doing at the time.

If these occur at dangerous times, such as while driving, discuss this with your doctor. When you stand up, gravity causes blood to pool in your legs and abdomen. This decreases blood pressure because there's less blood circulating back to your heart.

Normally, special cells baroreceptors near your heart and neck arteries sense this lower blood pressure. The baroreceptors send signals to centers in your brain, which signals your heart to beat faster and pump more blood, which stabilizes blood pressure. These cells also narrow the blood vessels and increase blood pressure.

Orthostatic hypotension occurs when something interrupts the body's natural process of counteracting low blood pressure. Many conditions can cause orthostatic hypotension, including:. These include medications used to treat high blood pressure or heart disease, such as diuretics, alpha blockers, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors and nitrates.

Other medications that may increase your risk of orthostatic hypotension include medications used to treat Parkinson's disease, certain antidepressants, certain antipsychotics, muscle relaxants, medications to treat erectile dysfunction and narcotics. Using medications that treat high blood pressure with other prescription and over-the-counter medications may cause low blood pressure.

Persistent orthostatic hypotension can cause serious complications, especially in older adults. These include:. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Orthostatic hypotension — also called postural hypotension — is a form of low blood pressure that happens when you stand up from sitting or lying down.