Living with POTS: A Wellness-Way Conversation

How the Wellness Way approach can help you reclaim rhythm in a dys-rhythmic world

POTS often feels invisible yet deeply disruptive. For many, it’s more than just dizziness on standing, it’s chronic fatigue, “brain fog,” palpitations, sometimes fainting, and a deep impact on daily life.

At the same time, it’s a condition that begs for a more integrated, functional approach rather than simply suppressing symptoms. That’s where our Wellness Way philosophy fits in.

What is POTS? The Basics

Here are key things to understand:

• When you move from lying or sitting to standing, your heart rate increases much more (typically ≥ 30 bpm in adults) and you may experience light-headedness, palpitations, fatigue, brain fog, blurry vision, etc.

• The core issue: your autonomic nervous system (ANS) and circulatory regulation aren’t adapting well to the upright posture.

• The causes vary and often are multi-factorial: low blood volume, venous pooling, hyperadrenergic responses, autoimmune links, deconditioning.

• While there’s no “cure” yet for many, prognosis is hopeful: there are many things you can do to manage symptoms, improve function, and reclaim more of your life.

A Wellness Way-Style Framework for POTS

\At The Wellness Way Mason, our goal is to help you bring the whole person into balance body, brain, nervous system, nutrition, movement, environment. With POTS, many of these pieces become crucial. Let’s map out a Wellness Way plan.

1. Nervous system / autonomic regulation

Because POTS is essentially about autonomic regulation gone awry, we start here. Some tactics:

• Gentle stress-modulation: mindfulness, breathing, parasympathetic activation (think: diaphragmatic breathing, slow exhales) to calm the nervous system.

• Avoiding triggers that worsen orthostatic intolerance: long upright standing, heat exposure, dehydration, large high-carb meals.

• Sleep hygiene / positioning: elevating the head of the bed slightly may reduce orthostatic stress overnight.

• Nervous-system friendly movement: starting with non-upright forms of exercise (recumbent biking, swimming, rowing) then gradually progressing upright. This helps retrain autonomic adaptation.

2. Circulatory & volume support

At its core, POTS often involves inadequate blood return, pooling in lower extremities, or low effective circulating volume. Some Wellness-Way strategies:

• Ensure good hydration: plenty of high-quality water + electrolytes.

• Increase sodium (under guidance): for many POTS patients, a higher salt intake helps maintain blood volume and upright tolerance.

• Compression garments: lower extremity gradient compression or abdominal binders can reduce venous pooling.

• Movement strategies to promote venous return: calf/leg pumps, crossing legs when standing, shifting weight, etc (especially when standing a long time).

3. Nutrition + metabolic support

Nutrition matters more than many realize when the autonomic nervous system is stressed. Some Wellness-Way-friendly habits:

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals rather than large heavy meals (because large meals redirect blood to the gut, which may worsen orthostatic intolerance).

• Balance carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats: minimizing big surges of insulin/vasodilation.

• Monitor for nutrient deficiencies, hydration electrolytes, thyroid/adrenal/autoimmune markers if indicated (a functional approach).

• Avoid processed foods, excessive caffeine/alcohol (which can dehydrate or worsen autonomic shifts).

4. Movement + exercise plan

Movement is one of the most potent medicine pieces, but for POTS it must be tailored:

• Begin with recumbent or semi-recumbent activities (swimming, rowing, recumbent bike) to reduce orthostatic stress.

• Progress slowly: upright walking/elliptical only after build-up. Consistency beats intensity at the beginning.

• Include leg/hip strength to improve muscle pump function (helping venous return).

• Monitor symptoms: if heart rate or symptoms flare, adjust accordingly.

5. Mind-Body / Supportive Wellness

Because living with POTS can be challenging both physically and emotionally, the Wellness Way extends into supportive paradigms:

• Track symptoms: when do they flare? What triggers? Lifestyle modifications often hinge on knowing your pattern.

• Support community/patient education: many feel isolated because “you look fine” but inside you’re struggling.

• Address sleep, stress, underlying conditions (autoimmune, viral-trigger, thyroid, etc) in collaboration with practitioners.

• Careful use of conventional medicine: while wellness-oriented, we absolutely recognize the value of appropriate medications, referrals to autonomic specialists, tilt-table testing, etc. Wellness Way means “best of all worlds” rather than rejecting anything.

Put it All Together: An Example “Wellness Way” Checklist for POTS

Here’s a practical list you might use or hand to a patient/client:

• ✅ Hydrate: aim for target fluid volume (individualized) + electrolytes/salt

• ✅ Use compression stockings or abdominal binder when upright a lot

• ✅ Begin movement plan: 10-20 minutes recumbent 3-5x/week, slowly progress

• ✅ Eat 4-5 smaller meals each day with balanced macros (protein + fat + complex carbs)

• ✅ Avoid skipping meals, avoid large high-carb meals, avoid long standing without moving

• ✅ Practice daily nervous-system calming: breathing, short meditations, gentle yoga / stretching

• ✅ Elevate head of bed ~4–6″ to reduce orthostatic stress at night

• ✅ Track symptoms: date/time, posture, activity, food, hydration, sleep, stress. Identify patterns.

• ✅ Get appropriate baseline labs: thyroid, adrenals, full metabolic/electrolytes, and rule out other causes.

• ✅ Partner with a health professional knowledgeable in autonomic disorders for specialist referrals if needed.

• ✅ Maintain patience: improvement is gradual; the goal is better function, not necessarily “cure” overnight.

Why The Wellness Way Approach Matters for POTS

• Conventional care often emphasizes medication, heart‐rate control, and suppression of symptoms. That has its place, but doesn’t always address root system imbalance.

• A wellness/systemic model identifies the why behind the autonomic dys‐regulation, the lifestyle and foundational supports (volume, vasoconstriction, muscle pump, nervous system calming) that allow the body to regain its equilibrium.

• The integrated focus—nervous system, circulatory support, nutrition, movement—reflects our Wellness Way mission: real health from the inside out.

• Empowerment: People with POTS often feel “at the mercy” of their symptoms. The Wellness Way framework gives practical tools, realistic progression, and hope.

A Few Caveats & Words of Encouragement

• Every POTS case is unique. What works for one may not for another. Always evaluate underlying causes (thyroid, autoimmune, deconditioning, infections) and tailor accordingly.

• It’s not a race: progress may feel slow, and setbacks are common. That’s OK.

• Celebrate the small wins: standing longer without dizziness, fewer palpitations, improved brain clarity, more upright tolerance.

• Wellness Way is not “all or nothing.” Even small steps matter: a few more ounces of fluid, 5 more minutes of movement, a bit more salt—over time they add up.

• If you ever experience alarming symptoms (severe fainting, chest pain, irregular heart rhythm), seek medical attention, this is about supporting—not replacing—medical oversight.

Final Thoughts

If you’re navigating POTS, you’re navigating more than a heart-rate change: you’re navigating your body’s ability to adapt to everyday life. The Wellness Way invites you to re-engage with intentional movement, supportive nutrition, nervous-system care, and lifestyle strategies that rebuild resilience rather than only managing crisis.

At The Wellness Way Mason, we’re committed to walking alongside you—helping you uncover what your body needs to find steadier ground, freer posture, more upright life, less dizziness, more functioning, and most of all, hope!