This post was written by Alexander Imhof, certified athletic trainer, Parkview Sports Medicine.
Getting the proper amount of exercise is important for overall health. But have you ever felt lightheaded or dizzy while working out? This problem can lead to lower motivation to move your body in the future. In this post, we troubleshoot two of the most common causes of this unpleasant symptom: dehydration and low blood sugar.
Hydration
It’s important to make sure your body is properly hydrated before, during and after a workout. Proper hydration helps to ensure that your blood can flow properly, regulate your body temperature and lubricate your joints.
When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume and pressure go down. This dehydration leads to trouble circulating blood throughout your body. When you aren’t getting proper blood flow, your muscles aren’t getting the nutrients they need to keep up with the demands of working out. When blood flow to the brain is reduced, it leads to headaches and dizziness.
During a workout, you sweat, which uses water from your body to help cool you down. It’s important to drink water or sports drinks while being active to help replace the fluids lost due to sweat. On hotter days, you will sweat more and need to drink more to compensate. Sweating and higher body temperatures can continue even after you are done working out, so strive to maintain proper hydration before, during and after a workout to prevent feelings of dizziness or lightheadedness.
Blood sugar
Blood sugar levels are important for overall bodily functions. Glucose, a simple sugar, is one of the main energy sources for your brain and body. Your body can store glucose so that when it is needed for intense bouts of exertion it’s there.
When you work out, your body uses the glucose your body has stored up and the glucose that is already in your blood. If your body doesn’t have the necessary glucose levels to keep up with the amount of exercise you are doing, it can lead to feeling dizzy, lightheaded, tired, nauseous and shaky.
These symptoms can happen if you skip a meal and then go exercise. We see this commonly in individuals who don’t want to eat breakfast before a morning workout. While having a full breakfast may not be beneficial for you before a workout, having a small snack like a granola bar, protein bar or some fruit can be enough to help you get through your session without feeling any of these adverse effects. Keep some of these snacks on hand in case you start to feel dizzy while exercising.
Safety
Whether your symptoms come from dehydration, blood sugar levels or something else, stop working out when the lightheadedness presents. Hydrate, rest or get a snack and do not return to activity until you are feeling better. It’s important to make sure you address the cause before resuming to avoid any permanent damage to your body.
Learn more about our Sports Medicine services here.
