It’s not in your head (literally) - you might have POTS.
If you’ve ever stood up too quickly and felt your heart race, you’ve had a tiny glimpse into what living with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) can feel like. POTS is a form of dysautonomia — which means the autonomic nervous system, the part of the body that controls things we don’t consciously think about (like heart rate, blood pressure, and digestion), doesn’t regulate as smoothly as it should.
For people with POTS, simple changes in posture — like moving from sitting to standing — can cause the heart rate to spike dramatically because blood pools in the legs, making it much harder to get blood back up to the brain. This can bring on dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, nausea, brain fog, and even fainting. Everyday things most people don’t think twice about, like standing in line for a while or taking a hot shower, can become huge challenges.
It’s not in your head, literally, and it’s not normal.
From my own lived experience, POTS isn’t just about physical symptoms — it’s about learning to navigate a world that isn’t built with this condition in mind. There are days when I can move through life more easily, and others when even small tasks require careful pacing, hydration, and rest. I’ve learned to listen to my body closely, get creative with strategies (like compression wear, salt, and mindful movement), and practice compassion when I have to slow down.
Living with POTS has also shifted how I think about health and resilience. It’s taught me that progress doesn’t always mean pushing harder — sometimes it means honoring limits, adjusting expectations, and finding steadiness within unpredictability. While POTS can feel invisible to others, for those of us living with it, it shapes daily life in very real ways.
