POTS & dysautonomia basics
What is POTS, and why does standing feel like running a marathon?
POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is a form of dysautonomia where your heart rate jumps abnormally on standing and your body struggles to keep blood flowing to your brain.
Common symptoms: dizziness, rapid heart rate, fatigue
Often triggered by standing, heat, meals, or showers
Diagnosis and treatment should always be guided by a clinician familiar with POTS and autonomic conditions.
What’s going on?
Gravity, blood pooling, and your nervous system.
When you stand up, gravity pulls blood down into your legs and abdomen. In most people, blood vessels tighten and the nervous system responds quickly to push blood back to the brain. In POTS, that system doesn’t respond properly.
Key features of POTS
- Excessive heart rate rise on standing or tilt test
- Symptoms that improve when lying down
- Often worsened by heat, large meals, dehydration, or infections
- Common overlap with fatigue, headaches, gut issues, and sleep disturbance
Where hydration & sodium come in
Many clinicians recommend strategies to increase blood volume and improve circulation:
- Higher fluid intake
- Higher sodium intake (if safe)
- Compression garments
- Pacing and exercise plans
Electrolytes are one part of this puzzle. The goal is to help your body keep more blood in
circulation so standing is less of a fight.