Feeling dizzy when you wake up may be a symptom of several conditions, some more serious than others. You may notice a floating or woozy sensation, or feel unsteady as though the room is spinning, especially when you first sit or stand up. Depending on the cause, you may also have other symptoms, such as nausea, headache, or difficulty concentrating.
Morning dizziness can result from a range of conditions, from simple dehydration to more complex inner ear or neurological conditions. Sometimes, it’s related to your body’s difficulty regulating blood flow or maintaining balance when moving from lying down to standing.
While some causes are harmless and easily corrected, others may require medical evaluation and attention.
Orthostatic Hypotension
Orthostatic hypotension is a drop in blood pressure that can occur when you get up from sitting or lying down.
You may feel dizzy, lightheaded, or “grayed out” when you change positions. That’s because if your blood pressure drops, you may experience a temporary loss of blood flow to your brain. It may be worse in the morning when you get up after sleeping.
Orthostatic hypotension is common in older adults and in people with nervous system disorders like dysautonomia. It can also be worsened by dehydration.
Medication Side Effects
Some medications may cause dizziness as an unwanted side effect. For example, anticholinergic medications and sedatives can cause dizziness in the morning when you get up. These side effects are typically worse in older adults.
Anemia
Anemia is when you don’t have enough red blood cells, which play an important role in carrying oxygen throughout your body. You may feel dizzy if enough oxygen isn’t circulating through your body to organs like your brain. Other symptoms of anemia include irritability, feeling cold, and fatigue.
Inner Ear Conditions
Vertigo (a sensation that the room is spinning) may stem from conditions affecting parts of the ear responsible for balance and equilibrium. Symptoms can last from minutes to hours or days.
Low Blood Sugar
When you have low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, you may feel dizzy or lightheaded. Although it’s more common in people with diabetes, you do not have to have diabetes to experience low blood sugar, which may also make you feel shaky, anxious, sweaty, and confused.
See a healthcare provider promptly if your morning dizziness:
- Lasts more than a few minutes or is unrelated to changing positions
- Occurs frequently or gets worse over time
- Is accompanied by fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath, or neurological symptoms like slurred speech, weakness, or double vision
Your healthcare provider may check for signs and symptoms of a stroke, low blood sugar, or dehydration. They may also look for ear infections or other potential causes of dizziness.
A few approaches may help you feel less lightheaded when you first wake up or get out of bed. Try these strategies:
- Get out of bed slowly, sitting for a minute at the edge of your bed before standing.
- Drink water when you wake up to help prevent dehydration.
- Have snacks available near your bed.
- Talk with your healthcare provider about whether your medications cause dizziness, and whether taking them at a different time or switching medications may help.
A healthcare provider can offer more detailed treatment recommendations depending on the underlying cause of your morning dizziness.
Preventing morning dizziness often involves addressing the root cause.
For example, staying well-hydrated throughout the day and having a glass of water at your bedside can help reduce symptoms linked to dehydration or low blood pressure.
Eating balanced meals and avoiding long gaps without food can stabilize blood sugar.
If your dizziness is likely medication-related, ask your healthcare provider whether changing the dosage, timing, or type of medication may help.
Dizziness may lead to falls, which are a major cause of injury in older adults. In rare cases, persistent dizziness can be a symptom of an underlying cardiovascular, neurological, or metabolic condition that requires medical attention to prevent further symptoms and complications.
Dizziness when you wake up is a common symptom with many potential causes, including low blood pressure from getting up too quickly, an inner ear disorder, morning low blood sugar, and medication side effects. Morning dizziness can sometimes be a symptom of a medical condition that requires treatment.
In some cases, lifestyle adjustments and tweaks to your routine can help you manage passing morning dizziness. See a doctor if your dizziness is frequent, severe, or accompanied by neurological symptoms.
