Your healthcare professional may recommend the following to lower your risk of fainting:

• Wearing knee-high compression stockings
• Moving your legs and feet before standing up from a lying position
• Sitting at the edge of the bed with your feet on the floor before standing up slowly
• Raising the head of your bed
• Increasing salt intake, if recommended by your provider
• Avoiding alcohol and large meals high in carbohydrates
• Lying down after meals
• Avoiding triggers such as certain smells, tight collars, or quick neck movements

Last Reviewed and Updated: May 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers