uk Health & medical scares feeling lightheaded • light headed spells • feel like fainting • nearly fainting • near blackout feeling • dizzy and weak • recurrent dizziness episodes • symptoms keep returning • almost passing out • repeated faint feeling • pre-syncope • sudden lightheadedness • standing makes it worse • after standing up dizzy • hot sweaty and faint • nausea and lightheaded • palpitations and faint feeling • fainting warning signs • keep needing to lie down

What to do if…
you feel lightheaded and close to fainting but symptoms keep returning

Short answer

Lie down flat and raise your legs, or sit and put your head down until the feeling passes. Call 999 if you (or someone with you) faints and is not breathing, cannot be woken within 1 minute, is not fully recovered, has difficulty with speech or movement, has chest pain or a pounding/fluttering/irregular heartbeat, has a seizure/fit, is seriously injured, or fainted while exercising or while lying down. Because symptoms keep returning, get same-day advice via NHS 111 even if you feel better between episodes.

Do not do these things

Do not try to “push through” it (especially stairs, exercise, hot showers/baths, or standing in a queue).
Do not stand up quickly or walk around to “test it”.
Do not drive, cycle, or use ladders/tools until you’ve been checked and you’re reliably steady.
Do not drink alcohol or take sedating drugs right now.
Do not take extra doses of any medicine (including blood pressure tablets) to “fix” the feeling.
Do not stop prescribed medicines suddenly unless a clinician tells you to.
Do not stay alone if you’re repeatedly going faint, especially on stairs or in the bathroom.

What to do now

Get into a safer position immediately.
- Best: lie flat and raise your legs on a chair/sofa cushion.
- If you can’t lie down: sit and bend forward, head down, feet flat.
- Loosen anything tight around your neck/waist and keep the room cool.
If you vomit or feel like you might, protect your airway.
If you’re lying down and nauseated, roll onto your side so you’re less likely to choke if you’re sick.
Do a quick “999 check” and act on it.
Call 999 if someone faints and: is not breathing; cannot be woken within 1 minute; has not fully recovered or has trouble with speech/movement; has chest pain or pounding/fluttering/irregular heartbeat; has a seizure/fit; is seriously injured; or fainted while exercising or while lying down. If breathing becomes severely difficult or you can’t get words out, treat it as an emergency too.
Get someone to stay with you (or stay on the phone) until you’re steady.
If you’re alone, send a short message like: “I keep going faint—can you stay on the phone with me for 20 minutes?” Keep your phone within reach.
Reduce the immediate triggers that make it recur.
- Avoid standing for now.
- When you do stand, do it slowly in stages (lying → sitting → standing).
- If it returns: stop and sit/lie down again immediately.
If it’s safe for you, take a small drink and a small snack.
- Sip water (or an oral rehydration drink if you have one).
- A small snack may help if you haven’t eaten; a salty snack can help some people if they’ve been sweating/ill or dehydrated.
- If you have diabetes or suspect low blood sugar, follow your usual plan and check your glucose if you can.
Capture a 30-second note for a clinician.
Time of each episode; what you were doing (standing up, showering, after skipping meals, after illness); any palpitations, chest pain, breathlessness, heavy bleeding, vomiting/diarrhoea; and any new meds/dose changes.
Because it keeps returning, get same-day medical advice.
- Contact NHS 111 (phone or online) and say you’ve had recurrent near-fainting episodes.
- If you’re pregnant, contact your maternity unit for urgent advice as well.
- If symptoms are persistent, worsening, you’ve collapsed, or you’ve been injured, go to A&E (or call 999 if you cannot safely get there).

What can wait

You do not need to figure out the exact cause right now.
You do not need to decide about tests, referrals, or long-term treatment during an episode.
You can leave detailed tracking (full diary, wearable data, lifestyle changes) until after you’ve been safely assessed.

Important reassurance

This can feel frightening, especially when it keeps coming back. The most protective first step is simple: get flat (or head down), reduce the chance of a fall, and don’t “test” yourself upright too soon. Getting same-day advice for recurrent episodes is a sensible safety step, even if you feel okay between them.

Scope note

This is first-steps guidance to prevent injury and avoid missing urgent causes of faintness. Once you’re stable, a clinician may suggest checks such as blood pressure (including standing), ECG, blood tests, or a medication review.

Important note

This is general information, not a diagnosis. If you think you’re in immediate danger, call 999. If you’re unsure whether it’s urgent, NHS 111 can help you choose the right service.

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What to do if…you feel lightheaded and close to fainting but symptoms keep returning