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You stand up quickly from the couch , and for a few seconds , you scramble to see and sustain your rest as your surround suddenly plunge into darkness .

This vulgar - yet - unnerving experience raises a question : Why do you sometimes get empty-headed when you stand up , and why can your vision go dark ?

Woman suffering from dizziness with difficulty standing up.

“Woah, stood up too fast!” Sometimes standing up from sitting can leave you dizzy and with blurred vision.

It turns out that this chemical reaction — known as postural or orthostatic hypotension — is due to a rapid change in soundbox positioning , and it ’s unremarkably nothing to occupy about . But if it pass frequently or hold up a long time when it occurs , that could be a mark of a chronic health term , an expert told Live Science .

optic changes , vertigo and dizziness that fall out in the seconds after you abide up pass due to a sudden , irregular drib in blood press , Dr. Stephen Juraschek , an associate prof of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School , told Live Science by email .

refer : What is normal blood pressure ?

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For a instant , thebrainis not supplied with enough blood and oxygen , he said . And the oxygen supplying for the scant - sense tissue of the retina also come down . Since the retina requiresa mass of oxygen to function decent , even a minuscule dip in its supply can lead to visual sense problems .

The process of maintaining stable origin force per unit area after bear up is control by the autonomicnervous arrangement , a exercise set of heart that regulates unvoluntary bodily affair , such asheart pace , breathing and digestion , Juraschek enjoin . " When people stand up , about 300 - 800cc [ cubic centimeter ] of blood gets pulled in the leg , guide to a temporary drop in blood pressure , " he enjoin ; that ’s about 0.3 to 0.8 quarts of blood suddenly flow into the wooden leg .

This drop in blood pressure is detected by pressure - sensible receptors in the arteries that furnish blood to the brain and in the right atrium of the heart , which blood flows into after delivering oxygen to the body . These activated sensory receptor then activate a body - wide reply that stabilizes the someone ’s blood pressure level — blood vessel constrict , the muscles of the leg and abdomen declaration and heart charge per unit increases , Juraschek aver .

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This does not usually do detectable burden . But in people who are dehydrated or experiencing an unwellness , like the flu , the drop in roue press may be more dramatic and might take longer to stabilize , Juraschek explained . People can also be prostrate to this dizziness if they take medications to reduce stock pressure , such as genus Beta - blocker , he said .

Related : How much blood is in the human consistence ?

And some people can be prone to the symptom when get out of bottom in the dayspring , since their blood imperativeness is typically humble at that time , and also when they ’re pledge alcohol or sweating a lot , accord toHouston Methodist .

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These short tear of lightheadedness disagree from chronic orthostatic hypotension , in which some individuals know long - hold out or frequent loss of visual modality and equipoise after standing . This condition can step in with their daily lives and cause falls , fainting and car accidents , and it ’s a peril cistron for cardiovascular problem and kidney disease , Juraschek said .

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" Postural hypotension may be especially concerning if it remain beyond 3 hour of standing , " he noted .

calculate on what stimulate the condition , orthostatic hypotension can be either chief or lowly , according to theNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke . Primary orthostatic hypotension is rarified and due to disability to the autonomic nervous system , such as those induce by nerve wrong .

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Secondary postural hypotension , in which symptom are because of other medical conditions , is more common . This can be connect to low heart pace ( bradycardia ) , low pedigree gelt ( hypoglycaemia ) and thyroid weather , for instance , theMayo Clinicstates . senescence can also pull up stakes the pressure sensors in the cervix and marrow less reactive and the heart less able to chop-chop adjust its swiftness , leaving people ages 65 and older more prostrate to these dizzy turn .

This clause is for informational purpose only and is not stand for to provide aesculapian advice .

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