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uk Health & medical scares feel faint standing up • near fainting on standing • heart rate jumps standing • dizzy when standing • lightheaded on standing • head rush when i stand • black spots vision standing • legs weak when i stand • palpitations when standing • racing heart on standing • almost passing out • fainting warning signs • postural dizziness • orthostatic symptoms • standing makes me dizzy • faint feeling after getting up • heart pounding standing • sudden dizziness upright

What to do if…
you feel close to fainting when you stand up and your heart rate jumps

Short answer

Sit or lie down immediately to prevent a fall, and raise your legs if you can. If you also have severe breathlessness, chest pain, new confusion, you faint, or you’re injured in a fall, call 999.

Do not do these things

  • Do not “push through” it or keep walking to “shake it off” — that’s how people fall and hit their head.
  • Do not stand up again quickly “to test it”.
  • Do not drive, cycle, climb stairs, or use tools until you’re steady.
  • Do not drink alcohol right now.
  • Do not take extra doses of blood pressure/heart medicines (or stop them suddenly) unless a clinician has told you to.

What to do now

  1. Get safe from falling (right now).
    • Sit down immediately, or lie flat.
    • If you can, raise your legs on a chair/cushion, or lie with legs up against a wall for a few minutes.
  2. If you’re alone, reduce the chance of injury.
    • Put your phone within reach.
    • Move away from sharp edges/hot drinks. If you can safely do so, let someone know what’s happening.
  3. Do a fast “red flag” check. Call 999 if any apply.
    • You faint/collapse and cannot be woken quickly (or you remain very unwell afterwards).
    • Chest pain/tightness/heaviness; severe difficulty breathing; lips/skin turning very pale/blue/grey; new confusion; or you’ve had a significant fall/head injury.
    • You feel too unwell to safely stay at home.
  4. If no red flags and you’re improving, rehydrate cautiously.
    • Sip water.
    • If you haven’t eaten and you can swallow safely, try a small snack.
  5. Use simple “counter-moves” before the next time you stand.
    • Before standing: tense your legs and buttocks, pump your ankles, or cross your legs and squeeze for 20–30 seconds.
    • Stand up in stages: lying → sitting (pause) → standing (pause while holding something stable).
  6. Do one quick note for a clinician (30 seconds).
    • Time it happened, what you were doing (out of bed, after shower, after illness, after skipping food), any new medicines or dose changes, and whether you actually fainted.
  7. Get the right help today if this is new, recurrent, or worrying.
    • If it keeps happening, you actually fainted, or you’re getting repeated palpitations with near-fainting, it’s usually appropriate to get same-day advice via NHS 111 (phone or 111 online).
    • If symptoms have settled but you’re still concerned, request an urgent GP appointment.

What can wait

  • You do not need to diagnose the cause right now.
  • You do not need to “train yourself out of it” or change your whole diet today.
  • You do not need to repeatedly stand up to “check” — focus on preventing a fall and getting assessed if it’s new or recurrent.

Important reassurance

Feeling faint on standing with a racing heart can happen for several non-dangerous reasons (for example, being under-hydrated, recovering from illness, heat, or standing up too fast). But because it can overlap with heart rhythm problems, medication effects, or other treatable issues, it’s reasonable to take it seriously — especially if it’s new, frequent, or you actually faint.

Scope note

These are first steps to keep you safe and get you to the right level of help. If this is recurring, a clinician may check your pulse and blood pressure lying and standing, review medications, and decide if further tests are needed.

Important note

This is general information, not a diagnosis. If you feel severely unwell, have chest pain, severe breathlessness, faint/collapse, new confusion, or you’ve injured yourself in a fall, seek urgent medical help immediately.

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