Lightheadedness affects many women in your friend’s age group. It appears suddenly, without any apparent reason. While it usually disappears as suddenly as it appears, it may sometimes become chronic. Lightheadedness isn’t an illness in itself, but is a symptom of some other illness. It’s important for your friend to consult a doctor immediately, rather than rely solely on home remedies, as the underlying cause will have to be identified and treated.
One of the reasons for this dizziness is a drop in blood pressure, caused by a condition called “postural (orthostatic) hypotension”. Your heart has what you might call a compensation mechanism—when you stand up, it pumps more blood to your brain to compensate for the pooling of blood in your legs. When this stops working, sudden changes in posture, like bending down or standing up very fast can cause dizziness or lightheadedness. This may be accompanied by blurred vision and, in severe cases, fainting.
Other causes include vertigo, where a spinning sensation is felt, or a problem with the inner ear, which is responsible for creating balance in the body. This problem is seen mostly in older people. Many medicines reduce the volume of blood in the body, which cause a lowered blood pressure. Observe if there are any other conditions that bring on the dizziness, like waking up in the morning, standing up after a big meal, or not drinking enough water.
A host of other problems, ranging from minor to very serious, can cause lightheadedness. It may signal the onset of flu or an allergy. It may also point to low blood sugar and blackouts. More serious causes of lightheadedness include heart arrhythmias, strokes, tumors, brain illnesses, or problems with the central nervous system.
As you can see, the best course of action for your friend is to consult a doctor.
Of course, there are a lot of things you can do at home to ease the immediate effects of the lightheadedness, many of which are intuitive. First of all, sit down or lie down immediately. Your aim should be to get your legs higher than your brain, as this will get the blood flowing again. Avoid any sudden changes in posture, like getting up suddenly or bending over very quickly. In the mornings too, rise up slowly. You can wear support hose or stockings to get the blood flowing back to your brain. Remember to drink a lot of water and fluids during the day, a minimum of seven or eight glasses. Avoid alcohol as this will further inhibit your sense of balance.