Aging & Health A to Z

Fainting (Syncope)

Lifestyle & Management

If you have orthostatic hypotension, your healthcare provider may recommend:

• Wearing knee-high compression stockings
• Exercising or moving your legs and feet when you’re laying down, before you get up
• Getting up slowly after sitting for a while with your legs touching the ground when first waking up in the morning.
• Elevating the head of your bed
• Increasing your salt intake 

If you have low blood pressure or you faint after eating, you should avoid alcohol and heavy meals that are loaded with carbohydrates. Lying down after meals may help. 

If your fainting is associated with something in particular, such as certain smells, tight collars, or rapid neck movements, be careful to avoid these "triggers." 

Protecting Yourself

Since fainting causes falls, you may want to avoid stairs, ladders, tile floors, and other surfaces that increase the chance of injury in case of a fall. 

You may also need to consider giving up driving. Guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend that driving be restricted for several months, and only resumed if you don’t have any fainting spells during that time. Many states have laws that prohibit someone who has fainting spells from driving.

Updated: March 2012
Posted: March 2012