Psychosomatics of low blood pressure (hypotension)
Low blood pressure is a reading below 90/60 mmHg. Sometimes it causes no complaints and is simply your normal. If you feel dizzy or weak, your vision blurs or goes dark when you stand up, and especially if you faint, see a doctor. The Ladder method adds questions about where your strength goes.
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When to see a doctor
Book a doctor’s appointment if you notice:
- A home monitor shows pressure below 90/60
- Dizziness or dark spots before the eyes when you stand up
- Weakness, no strength in the morning
- Feeling sick, blurred vision
- Cold hands and feet
- Rarely: fainting or confusion
Start with a general practitioner: they will measure your blood pressure in different positions, order tests (for example for anaemia and blood sugar) and check whether medicines affect your pressure. Then, if needed, a cardiologist or an endocrinologist.
What medicine knows
The NHS defines low blood pressure as a reading of less than 90/60 mmHg. It does not always cause symptoms. MedlinePlus writes that for some people blood pressure is low all the time, and for them it is normal.
Symptoms to pay attention to (NHS): lightheadedness, feeling sick, blurred vision, weakness, confusion, fainting. If they appear when you stand up or change position suddenly, this is postural hypotension.
Causes vary: being fit and inheriting low pressure, age, pregnancy, some conditions such as diabetes, and medicines (NHS). Blood pressure changes during the day and depends on what you are doing and how you feel.
If a cause is found, a doctor changes medicines or suggests support stockings. Medicine to raise blood pressure is rarely needed, simple lifestyle measures and treating the cause are usually enough (NHS). It helps to get up slowly, eat small meals more often, drink more water, avoid standing for long and not drink too much alcohol.
In the Ladder method
In the Ladder method low blood pressure is not explained by "character" and does not mean weakness. It has physical causes that a doctor finds. But energy often runs out in the morning for those who have been carrying too much for a long time.
Sometimes weakness comes with a feeling that "getting up and living on" takes an effort you do not have. Then it helps to ask yourself where your energy goes and where you give more than you get.
On the ladder this shows up as steps made of overload and no rest. You can go through them once your health is checked. A doctor prescribes treatment.
These are questions for reflection, not an explanation of what causes the condition and not a treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Is a pressure of 90/60 dangerous?
The NHS writes that pressure below 90/60 is considered low, but symptoms do not always appear. MedlinePlus adds that for some people it is low all the time and this is their normal. If you have dizziness, weakness or fainting, you should see a doctor.
Why is there no energy in the morning with low blood pressure?
Weakness is on the NHS list of symptoms of low blood pressure, but it also happens with anaemia, lack of sleep and overload. That is why a doctor looks for the cause. The Ladder method helps you look at overload, but it does not replace an examination.
How can I raise blood pressure without pills?
The NHS advises getting up slowly, eating small meals more often, drinking more water, avoiding standing for long and not drinking much alcohol. If that is not enough, a doctor may suggest, for example, support stockings. Medicine to raise blood pressure is rarely needed.
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Psychosomatics does not replace tests and treatment. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.