A fall does not always begin with a loose rug or a slippery bathroom floor.
Sometimes the risk is less obvious: a medicine that makes you sleepy, feeling slightly dizzy when you stand up, a change in your vision, or shoes that no longer give you enough support.
The good news is that many fall risks can be identified and reduced. Here are seven easy-to-miss risks worth checking — and practical steps you can take today.
1. Medicines That Make You Dizzy or Sleepy
Some prescription medicines and even certain over-the-counter medicines can cause side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, or problems with balance.
What you can do: Keep an up-to-date list of everything you take, including over-the-counter medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any could increase your risk of falling. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own.
CDC recommends asking a doctor or pharmacist to review medicines that may make you dizzy or sleepy as part of fall prevention.
2. Standing Up Too Quickly
Do you sometimes feel lightheaded or unsteady when you get out of bed or stand up from a chair?
Blood pressure can drop when you move from lying or sitting to standing. This is called postural or orthostatic hypotension, and it can make you feel wobbly.
What you can do: Rise slowly and give yourself a moment to feel steady before walking. If this happens repeatedly, tell your healthcare provider rather than assuming it is simply part of getting older.
3. Small Changes in Vision or Hearing
Even small changes in sight or hearing can make it harder to move safely through everyday environments.
Changes in vision can make steps, obstacles, or changes in floor level harder to judge. Hearing changes can also affect awareness of your surroundings.
What you can do: Keep your eye and hearing examinations up to date. If you wear glasses, contacts, or hearing aids, use them as recommended and make sure they still work well for you.
CDC recommends regular eye care and correctly fitting, nonslip footwear to help reduce fall risk.
4. Foot Pain or Shoes That Do Not Support You
Foot pain can change the way you walk. Loose slippers, backless shoes, smooth soles, and poorly fitting footwear may also make you less stable.
What you can do: Choose shoes that fit securely and have low heels and nonskid soles. Pay attention to persistent foot pain rather than simply working around it.
CDC recommends sturdy, nonslip footwear that fits correctly to support balance and mobility.
5. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Being tired can make it harder to stay steady and alert during daily activities.
What you can do: Make adequate sleep part of your fall-prevention plan. If poor sleep continues or interferes with daily life, discuss it with a healthcare professional instead of relying only on self-treatment.
6. Gradual Loss of Strength or Balance
Changes in leg strength and balance can happen slowly, making them easy to overlook.
You might notice that getting out of a chair takes more effort, stairs feel harder, or you reach for furniture more often when walking.
What you can do: Stay physically active and include appropriate strength and balance exercises in your routine. If you are already unsteady, have fallen, or have a medical condition that affects exercise, ask a healthcare professional what activities are appropriate for you.
Watch: Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention
Tai Chi uses slow, controlled movements and weight shifting that can support balance and stability. CDC’s fall-prevention resources include Tai Chi-based interventions, including Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance, the Central Sydney Tai Chi Trial, and Simplified Tai Chi.
Continue with our practical guide:
Fall Prevention Exercises for Seniors Over 60: Simple Ways to Improve Balance and Strength
7. Not Telling Your Doctor About a Previous Fall
A fall that did not cause an injury can be easy to dismiss.
But it may reveal something worth investigating — such as a medication side effect, vision problem, balance difficulty, or another health issue.
What you can do: Tell your healthcare provider if you have fallen since your last visit, even if you were not hurt.
A previous fall can help a healthcare professional identify possible contributors and discuss ways to reduce the chance of another fall.
Watch: Simple Ways to Help Prevent Falls
The National Institute on Aging offers this short video with practical steps for reducing fall risk, improving home safety, and staying independent.
Don’t Forget Your Home
Your health and daily habits are only part of fall prevention. Lighting, rugs, stairs, bathrooms, clutter, and other home hazards matter too.
CDC recommends removing trip hazards, improving lighting, adding grab bars in bathrooms, and installing handrails on both sides of stairs.
Next guide:
Home Fall-Safety Check for Adults Over 60: Fix These 7 Risks First
Together, these guides address three important parts of fall prevention: recognizing less-obvious risks, improving strength and balance, and making the home safer.
A Simple Fall-Risk Check You Can Do Today
Ask yourself:
- Have any of my medicines recently changed?
- Do I ever feel dizzy when I stand up?
- Is my vision or hearing different from a year ago?
- Do my feet hurt, or are my shoes loose or slippery?
- Am I regularly tired from poor sleep?
- Has standing, walking, or climbing stairs become more difficult?
- Have I fallen or nearly fallen recently?
You do not need to wait for a serious fall before paying attention to these signs. Small changes made early can help you stay safer, more confident, and independent.
What to Remember
Falls are not always caused by one obvious hazard. Medicines, dizziness, vision and hearing changes, footwear, poor sleep, and gradual changes in strength and balance can all play a role.
The goal is not to become afraid of everyday activity. CDC recommends staying active and doing exercises that strengthen the legs and improve balance, including Tai Chi.
The goal is to recognize risks you can address and get professional help when you need it.
Medical note: This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about personal symptoms, medications, falls, or changes in balance. Seek prompt medical care after a fall if you may be seriously injured or have concerning symptoms.