Associated symptoms
Dizziness in the morning is very often caused by too low blood pressure (hypotension). After getting up, the blood pressure first drops because a large part of the blood is lost in the legs. As a result, the brain is temporarily supplied with too little oxygen and harmless failure symptoms occur, which become noticeable by black vision before the eyes and flickering eyes.
The heart tries to pump the blood back out of the body quickly and therefore beats faster, which is why those affected often feel a racing heart. The body takes further measures to counter-regulate and constricts the vessels and activates the sympathetic nervous system. This can lead to sweating and trembling.
The rapid lowering of blood pressure makes patients feel dazed and in rare cases they may even faint. If diseases of the heart or brain are the cause of the morning dizziness, further symptoms such as cardiac arrhythmia, nausea with vomiting, fever or shortness of breath can occur. These topics may also be of interest to you:
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Severe morning dizziness accompanied by severe nausea may indicate the presence of so-called benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV).
This is a benign disorder, which can occur mainly in the morning when the head changes position, for example when the person concerned turns over to the other side in bed or stands up. The fluid-filled organ of equilibrium of the inner ear contains small crystals (otoliths) that can become detached and thus cause balance problems. In most cases, simple exercises are sufficient to remove the detached stones and end the dizziness.
Morning nausea with dizziness can also be a sign of pregnancy. Vertigo in the morning is often accompanied by nausea. This can have harmless causes, such as low blood pressure or excessive alcohol consumption the day before.
However, there are also a number of different clinical pictures, such as migraine or Menière’s disease, in which similar symptoms occur. A stroke can also manifest itself in the form of dizziness, walking unsteadiness and vomiting. A stroke is an absolute emergency that requires immediate medical attention.
But also dizziness in the morning, which is accompanied by vomiting, should be clarified by a doctor, unless a harmless explanation (alcohol consumption, known low blood pressure) is behind it. Vision problems can be accompanying symptoms of morning dizziness. Often the cause of the complaints is that the blood pressure drops too quickly after getting up and the brain can therefore no longer be supplied with sufficient oxygen.
This leads to a temporary loss of certain functions in the brain and visual disturbances. In most cases, the affected person’s eyes turn black or flicker, in which small bright flashes of light can be seen. Normally the symptoms disappear after a few seconds and are harmless.
However, if severe headaches occur in addition to dizziness and visual disturbances, it can be a vestibular migraine (dizzy migraine). This is a form of migraine in which dizziness and visual problems occur in the context of an aura. However, there are also forms that occur without headaches, which is why frequently occurring visual problems and recurring dizziness should definitely be examined by a doctor.Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can occur together with dizziness in the morning and can be a sign of a neurological disorder. These symptoms often occur during sudden deafness or Menière’s disease, so a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.
