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Fainting — First Aid
What to do
- If someone feels faint (light-headed, nauseous, sweaty, pale, vision dimming), help them lie down straight away to prevent a fall and injury.
- Raise their legs — on a chair, cushions or held up — to improve blood flow to the brain. Loosen tight clothing around the neck and waist.
- Make sure they have fresh air; ask bystanders to step back and open a window if indoors.
- Most faints recover within a minute or two of lying down. If they do not regain consciousness within about a minute, check breathing, place them in the recovery position if breathing, and call 911.
- When they come round, keep them lying down for a few more minutes, then help them sit up slowly, then stand slowly. Do not rush this — getting up too fast causes repeat faints.
- Only offer a drink once they are fully recovered and sitting up comfortably.
What NOT to do
- Do not sit a fainting person on a chair with their head between their knees if they might slide off — lying flat is safer.
- Do not slap, shake or throw water at someone who has fainted.
- Do not give food or drink while they are still drowsy or nauseated.
- Do not let them drive until they have been assessed if the faint was unexplained.
When to get medical care
Call 911 if the person does not wake within about a minute, has chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness, faints during exercise, has a seizure-like episode, is pregnant, has diabetes, injured themselves in the fall, or faints repeatedly. Any first faint, faint over age 40, or faint with a family history of sudden death needs prompt medical assessment.
Related conditions
Related procedures & tests
Related symptoms
Frequently asked questions
Why do people faint?
A faint (syncope) is a brief loss of consciousness from a temporary drop in blood flow to the brain — triggers include pain, emotion, standing too long, heat, dehydration, low blood sugar, and sometimes heart rhythm problems. Lying flat restores flow and consciousness.
Is fainting ever dangerous?
Most simple faints are harmless, but fainting during exercise, with chest pain or palpitations, while lying flat, or repeatedly, can signal a heart condition and always needs assessment. The fall itself also commonly causes injury.
In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first — do not delay a call to read a guide. These pages are educational first-aid information in general terms; they are not a substitute for emergency services, first-aid training, or assessment by a qualified clinician.
