Dizziness when standing up can make you feel unsteady and want to fall even when you are standing still. This is because the change in gravity causes your blood to pool in your legs for a short period of time.
When you suddenly stand up, gravity causes your blood to pool in your legs and torso. This lowers your blood pressure and reduces the amount of blood your brain receives from your heart. Your nervous system then increases your heart rate and constricts your blood vessels to bring your blood pressure back to normal before your symptoms get worse.
What are the common causes of dizziness when standing up?
Dizziness when standing up and walking can be temporary. However, in some cases, it can signal an underlying health condition.
Causes of dizziness when standing up include:
1. Dehydration
Dehydration reduces your blood volume, causing your blood pressure to drop. This makes you feel dizzy every time you stand up. You can become dehydrated if you don’t drink enough water or sweat a lot during the day. Severe diarrhea or vomiting can also cause dehydration.
2. Low blood sugar
Low blood sugar reduces the amount of fuel your brain needs to function. This can cause dizziness when you stand up. You may also feel weak, tired, hungry, and have a headache.
You are more likely to get low blood sugar if you take insulin or certain diabetes medications.
3. Inner ear problems
Your inner ear responds to the movement of your head. The organs in your ear are also called the vestibular system. If there is a problem with this system, you will feel dizzy when you stand up.
You may also experience accompanying symptoms such as hearing loss and dizziness. Vertigo is a feeling that things around you are moving, which can be mild or severe.
Ear infections are the most common cause of inner ear problems.
4. Medications
When you see your doctor about dizziness when standing, they will ask you about your medications. This is because some medications lower your blood pressure. Some medications can also interact with each other and cause dizziness.
Some medications that can cause dizziness include medications for erectile dysfunction, depression, and high blood pressure.
5. Aging
Older people are at higher risk of experiencing dizziness when standing up. This is because the inner ear and neck degenerate with age. Additionally, sudden dizziness in older people is more likely to be the result of other underlying health conditions.
6. Prolonged bed rest
Your body position can also affect your blood pressure. Sitting or lying down for long periods of time slows your heart rate and blood pressure. So when you stand up straight, your blood pools in your lower body, causing dizziness.
7. Health Conditions
If you frequently feel dizzy when standing, it could be a sign of an underlying medical condition. These conditions include adrenal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, and Parkinson’s disease.
8. Alcohol
Alcohol is another cause of dizziness when standing. Drinking alcohol can lower your blood pressure. It can narrow your blood vessels and slow down blood flow. You may feel strange and dizzy when standing up after drinking.
9. Food
Eating and digesting requires extra blood supply to your intestines. You may feel dizzy about 15 to 45 minutes after eating. Dizziness after meals is more likely to occur if you eat a large meal or if you eat a lot of fast-digesting carbohydrates, like white bread.
How to treat sudden dizziness when standing?
If you experience this condition, remind yourself to stop for a moment before standing, allowing your body to adjust to gravity. If you experience dizziness after eating, try eating smaller, more frequent meals. Light exercise in the morning can also help raise your blood pressure. If this happens only occasionally, there is no reason to worry. But you should talk to your doctor if it is a new or ongoing problem. Complications of ongoing symptomatic orthostatic hypotension include the risk of fainting and repeated falls that can lead to fractures, especially in older people. There is also the risk of stroke if the blood supply to the brain is regularly reduced.
