Dizziness makes you feel off-balance. It gives you a feeling that you or the world is spinning. The reason could be an issue with the internal ear or a disorder related to your brain.
The dizziness attack generally lasts for a few seconds, but it could be longer. Some of the individuals think that it occurs due to fear of height, but the reality differs.
Yes, treadmills can make you feel dizzy.
Any of the movements can trigger dizziness, and working out on a treadmill is not an exception. Your body head moves around when you are running on a treadmill and sometimes, you may feel dizzy right after stopping the activity. This sensation can be internal as well as external.
Do you follow golf? Then, you might remember the famous vertigo incident in the US Open. In 2015, Jason Ray collapsed due to a vertigo burst.
Unfortunately, he was unable to recover for the entire tournament. The tests and scans showed nothing abnormal, and no causes were found.
We want you to understand that it can happen to anyone, whether you are an athlete, sportsperson, or average individual. Apart from treadmill workouts, some other movements can cause this cycle. For instance, you can feel it after getting out of bed suddenly.
Some of the vertigo sufferers also experience motion sickness. Consult a medical professional if you are frequently dealing with vertigo attacks, and it’s disturbing your lifestyle, especially workout schedules.
What is Vertigo?
According to Mayoclinic.org, Dizziness that creates the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo. Dizziness is a term used to describe a range of sensations, such as feeling faint, woozy, weak or unsteady.
You can read this nice article on the differences between vertigo and dizziness on Healthline.com.
How to Reduce The Risks?
Medication is one of the best ways to prevent vertigo bouts. But, there are other ways to avoid them. We will explain the correct pattern to work out on a treadmill, which will help you enjoy the physical activities without any dizziness.
We suggest that you warm up your body after stepping on the treadmill. Build up the speed, do not run at high pace initially. The average warm time is 5 minutes, but you can take more to adapt to the movement. If you prefer running, then start with walking on the treadmill and gradually increase the speed.
Do not change the pace suddenly. Instead, spend some time activating your muscles. Follow the same process when you are done with the running session. Reduce the speed slowly and come to a halt after 5 minutes. Such a routine will not allow dizziness to disturb your workouts, and you will exercise as per the goals.
Other points to consider
If you are experiencing sudden dizziness while running, then stop and look for solutions. Exercise induced vertigo is nothing severe, and there are ways to prevent it altogether. Read on to know some of the tips.
Are You Breathing Correctly?
Your muscles consume a lot of oxygen while you are pumping them. So, your pulse rate and breathing increases to supply more oxygen-carrying blood to your muscles. If you are not inhaling enough oxygen during or post-workout, your heart will not deliver the required amount of blood to your brain. Result – dizziness because your brain does not have enough oxygen to function correctly.
Solution: Stop and sit down on the floor if you are experiencing sudden dizziness while running. Take deep breathes; inhale and exhale slowly. Keep doing this for up to 5 minutes before standing up.
Prevention: Don’t hold or restrict your breath during workouts. Lots of individuals do this while practising bench press and some other core exercises. But, you should find a way to mix your training and breathing.
Breath properly while walking, jogging or running on a treadmill. If you are weight training, then inhale while lifting the dumbbell or barbell and exhale when you bring it down.
Are You Overexerting Yourself?
Over-exercising is expected when you are training into a group or team. Pushing your limits too hard can drop your blood pressure. It can also result in dehydration, which will leave you dizzy.
Solution: If you are feeling light-headed after walking, then sit down, relax your muscles and slow down your pulse rate. Drink lots of water to rehydrate your muscles.
Prevention: Do not try to achieve too much at once. Pushing your limits is great, but do not do it very early. Listen to your body, start slowly, and engage in prolonged and more intense workouts. Bring down your workout level if you are experiencing overexertion symptoms.
Are You Consuming Enough Fluids?
Dehydration is a condition of the body when you lose more water than your intake. When you work out, your body temperature rises, and you start sweating. If you are practising intense exercises, you could lose a lot of water, especially if it’s a sunny day. So, you might experience dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, extreme thirst and lightheadedness.
Solution: Stop working out and drink a lot of water.
Prevention: Don’t just carry a water bottle to your workout session; drink it occasionally. Take small water gulps whenever you feel even a little thirst. Drink some water before you start and finish the workout.
Do You Have Low Blood Sugar?
Your muscles consume more energy while you are exercising. For the first 15 minutes, your body consumes glucose from the sugar floating in your muscles and blood. Once these sources are depleted, your sugar level in blood drops and your body starts consuming glucose from your liver.
The human brain needs glucose to function correctly. But, how will it work if there is no glucose in your body? Hence, you start feeling sick and dizzy during exercise.
Solution: Eat or drink something immediately. For instance, a banana or juice can be perfect.
Prevention: If you don’t want to experience exercise induced vertigo, consume grains or protein-rich food items before starting your workout. Try to eat at least 1 hours before you step on the treadmill.
Do You Have Low Blood Pressure?
Your blood pressure becomes very low after 30 to 60 minutes of your workout session. Some of the individuals experience a faster drop. It can happen during any of the exercises but is expected if you do not cool down after vigorous activity.
All your muscles, heart and lungs work overtime when you are working out. The heart keeps the blood supply maintained so that your muscles can function correctly. However, everything ceases when you stop moving.
So, your blood vessels might take some extra seconds to catch up. Means, your brain will get the oxygen-carrying blood later than usual, making you light-headed and dizzy.
Solution: If you feel light-headed after walking, sit down immediately and place your head in between your knees. Such a position will supply more blood to your brain, and you will feel good within few minutes.
Prevention: You might not be able to prevent a blood pressure drop. But, keep yourself hydrated and eat well before starting the working out to avoid vertigo bursts. Maintain a nutritious and protein-rich diet. Start the workout only after a warm-up and finish all the vigorous routines with 5 minutes of relaxed downtime. Talk to your doctor if you are taking medicines related to high or low blood pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if you are pregnant and feeling dizzy after a treadmill work out?
If you are experiencing sudden exercise induced vertigo causing dizziness, then take a rest and not work out until you talk to the doctor. Pregnancy does not negatively impact your workout schedule in general, which means some of the other reasons are causing dizziness. In some cases, feeling light-headed after walking is a sign of anaemia. Some of the common symptoms are swelling in the hands or face, regular headaches, high blood pressure, and blurred vision. Contact the medical professional if you have any of these symptoms.
What deficiency causes vertigo?
Low levels of Vitamin B12 can restrict blood flow towards your brain, which is the primary cause of vertigo. Deficiency of Vitamin B12 is easy, but most individuals ignore this possibility. Consume a lot of dairy products, cereals, and meat to prevent this deficit.
Can vertigo be a sign of something more serious?
Dizziness is generally described as feeling light-headed and off-balance, which is a minor problem. You can resolve it by following the solutions we discussed above. However, if there are some other symptoms to accompany vertigo, it could be a sign of something more serious. Hence, you should consult a doctor in such a situation.
The Bottom Line
Feeling sick and dizzy during exercise is a disturbing symptom, but you can control it. Do not allow such bursts to be a barrier for something that can bring significant benefits to your body, which is a regular workout.
Walking or running on a treadmill is similar when you are practising these activities outdoors. In the case of a running machine, you are sweating on the same spot instead of moving forward.
It’s one of the primary differences that’s helpful because there is less movement in your head when running on a treadmill. So, you can easily avoid vertigo cycles by following the techniques we discussed above.