Feeling Dizzy When You Wake Up
To wake up feeling dizzy can be disorienting. Even more concerning is that nonstop morning dizziness could indicate an undiagnosed problem. Putting off addressing your symptoms can lead to significant health difficulties later on, with the potential to disrupt not only your daily routine but also your mental well-being.
Comprehending the likely origins of dizziness in Edmonton upon waking and mastering the management and prevention methods can help one attain a state of readiness each morning.
This article discusses the typical dynamics of morning lightheadedness when to call a doctor, and ways to ensure a balanced beginning to your day.
Common Causes of Morning Dizziness
Your early morning dizziness may be the result of any of the following;
Low Blood Pressure (Orthostatic Hypotension)
Orthostatic hypotension is when blood pressure drops when one moves from sitting or lying to standing. This decrease in blood flow to the brain can cause lightheadedness and dizziness, often lasting for a few moments, and can even lead to fainting in some people.
Lack of Water During the Night
Every night, your body expels water through breathing and sweating, and if you did not hydrate sufficiently the day before, you could wake up feeling anything but bright. This is particularly true when it is warm outside or after a night of drinking alcohol, both of which can push the body toward dehydration.
Inner Ear Problems (Vestibular Issues)
Disruptions in the inner ear, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), can make you feel off-balance when changing positions in bed or getting up. Your ear's vestibular system helps keep you steady, so anything that disturbs the normal functioning of that system can make you feel like the room is spinning.
Sleep Disorders
Sleep apnea and other conditions can mess with the brain's oxygen supply, and any time your brain is short of oxygen, you're likely to feel a little light-headed.
Certain Medications
Medications that treat conditions like hypertension or that serve as sedatives can have side effects that make people feel dizzy, especially in the morning. This is more likely to happen if these medications are taken at night.
Reduced Glucose Levels at Night
Your body processes glucose even while you sleep. However, if you are prone to hypoglycemia or skip meals, your nighttime glucose level could drop low enough that you might feel disoriented in the morning.
Home Remedies for Immediate Relief
Should you wake up with a sense of dizziness, these straightforward treatments can help:
Breathing Exercises
Take deep, purposeful breaths to stabilize the oxygen flow and minimize lightheadedness. Breathe deeply through your nose for a count of four. Then, hold your breath for another count of four. Finally, exhale through your mouth for a count of four.
Drink Water
If you didn't drink enough water before going to bed, or if you drank too much alcohol before bed, a glass of water in the morning is a good place to start.
Have a Light Snack
As suggested above, you could be waking up dizzy because you're suffering from morning hypoglycemia. Having a light snack like fruits can help stabilize your blood sugar.
Gentle Stretches or Movements
Participate in gentle stretching to boost circulation, especially if your lightheadedness is caused by blood not flowing well or by being too stiff. Attempt to roll your neck or do slow, seated forward bends. These movements should help ease tension and promote good blood flow to your brain.
When to Be Concerned About Dizziness When You Wake Up
Mild dizziness in the morning is typically not a cause for concern, but certain symptoms can sometimes suggest that a more serious problem is at play and should be examined by a doctor.
Frequent Dizziness
Experiencing regular dizziness when you wake up may indicate an ongoing health problem, such as persistent low blood pressure, an inner ear disorder, or a heart condition.
Associated Symptoms
If you're dizzy and feeling symptoms like chest pain, trouble breathing, or fainting, it could signify that you're in a health crisis. These could mean you're having a serious medical episode—like a heart attack—that could harm you if you don't get help right away.
Neurological Symptoms
If you're feeling dizzy and also experiencing symptoms like blurred or double vision, slurred speech, or trouble getting the words out, those could be signs of a stroke or some other serious brain issue. And if, on top of all that, you're feeling numb or weak, especially when it comes to one side of your body, you need immediate medical attention.
How Can Physiotherapy Help With Dizziness When You Wake Up?
Dizziness management can significantly benefit from physiotherapy in Edmonton, AB, especially when the cause is conditions like vestibular disorders, musculoskeletal issues, or postural imbalances. Physiotherapists can help in the following ways:
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy, or VRT, is a specialized type of physiotherapy that deals with the vestibular system, a body structure like the inner ear that orients an individual in space and maintains equilibrium.
VRT is a highly individualized rehabilitation system that involves
(1) balancing a person better
(2) reducing dizziness
(3) retraining the brain to deal with the person's vestibular dysfunction, and
(4) alleviating symptoms caused by vertigo, conditions like BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Manual Therapy
When a patient experiences dizziness, a physiotherapist may use hands-on techniques to address the neck stiffness or tension that could be contributing to the problem. In some instances, dizziness can originate in the neck, referred to as cervicogenic dizziness.
Helpful physiotherapy methods include joint mobilization, which restores movement to stiff joints, and muscle energy techniques, which help relax overly tight muscles.
Gait and Balance Training
Many people who experience dizziness have an impaired ability to walk and maintain their balance. To address these issues, physiotherapists can design specialized exercise regimens to strengthen the various muscular groups in the lower limbs.
Conclusion
Dizziness upon waking can be pretty disorienting, but knowing where it comes from is the first step toward managing it. Some people wake up dehydrated; others suffer from blood pressure that is not totally under control. And some people with underlying conditions—like heart arrhythmias—wake up dizzy. Knowing why you wake up dizzy is the first thing you must do to stop the cycle.