Working out and Lightheadedness

The majority of us growing up have always heard our parent’s say you can’t leave the house until you eat. I’ve never like to eat before doing any physical activity; especially working out. Before this past summer I was never into working out and didn’t know how important it was for your health. I picked up working out as hobby this past summer and it’s become part of my every day routine. After getting back to school it has been pretty difficult to keep my routine going being that the gyms are packed at almost all hours. A couple of days ago I went to the gym right after a morning class and it didn’t go so well. Midway through the workout I got light headed and my vision became blurry and lost balance for a bit. I had no idea what was going on; I thought it was maybe because I had not eaten anything. A friend of mine who was at the gym saw me and walked over and gave me a granola bar and some water and that helped me feel better. After all that happened I was curious to know why this had happened to me.

According to this article when you are working out and get lightheaded or feel dizzy it could be because your blood pressure has gone down. Also when you are doing any activity at a high level you’re pumping more blood into your heart than what you normally do. When you do a lot of exercise at once and stop; your heart slows down but your blood continues to circulate at a fast rate. It also mentions that signs like being dizzy and lightheaded may shed light on possible heart issues. It is important that you stay hydrated and have some kind of food in your stomach before you work out.

You always hear that your body is made up of water but what percent of your body is made up of water. In this link it speaks a bit about the percentage of water that is in our body and also it talks about food that we can eat that helps us stay hydrated. Also it says that consuming food that is high in water it gives your body the nutrients it needs, like fiber and electrolytes.

In conclusion I learned my lesson. Whenever you’re doing an activity at a high levels always make sure to stay hydrated. Also make sure that you have something in your stomach before working out because if not you are likely to get light headed and be dizzy. Our body needs a lot of water for it to function properly.

Sources:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/523536-dizzy-lightheaded-when-exercising/

http://www.active.com/nutrition/articles/6-best-hydrating-foods-for-athletes

Picture:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/385253-exercise-light-headed-and-arms-tingling/

7 thoughts on “Working out and Lightheadedness

  1. Jacob Gross

    This is such a relatable topic. Hydration is so important not only for sports but for life in general. If you don’t hydrate you won’t be able to function properly in sports or even in school, especially when it is hot outside. I did soccer and track in high school and have learned that hydration is key. It can affect how well you perform. Speaking of hydration, I need to fill up my water bottle and here’s an article (below) that you may enjoy about the importance of hyrdation.
    http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/nutrients/hydration-why-its-so-important.html

  2. dhc5097

    This blog really speaks to me. I use to play basketball everyday and there would be times when I would not eat before an early morning game because I didn’t have time. This caused me to feel very light headed in games sometimes, although I never passed out. Now when I work out at the gym I make sure I have ate before and bring water or a gatorade. I learned that Gatorade is great for dehydration. Read more about how Gatorade is a great complement to working out at the gym.

    Link on Gatorade and its benefits on headaches and Dehydrations: http://www.livestrong.com/article/125943-gatorade-relieve-headaches/

  3. Allison Maria Magee

    This blog is very interesting to me. I have actually passed out before from not eating or hydrating well before doing physical activity. In the summer I do performances outside and many people have felt lightheaded during or after a performance. Our parents are always there waiting with wet washcloths and ice water. It can be dangerous, especially in this heat, to not hydrate well. This article lists 5 reasons why everyone should make sure they are staying hydrated.:
    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/healthy-reasons-stay-hydrated/story?id=19714263#5

  4. mjg6031

    I have heard the same thing. I’ve seen people pass out from heat exhaustion before. Personally, I have gotten light headed from working out. It usually is a combination of thirst and extreme heat during a high intensity workout. Getting light headed and dizzy can be very dangerous. After my workouts I normally drive home. It’s not safe to drive if you felt light headed. In my opinion, the best way to make sure you do not get dizzy is to eat something or drink something before you workout. I don’t think eating something right after is going to help. Here is an interesting article about eating food before working out. Click here to see the article.

  5. Harper Nardone

    I used to dance for 16 years, all the way up to my senior year of high school, and once I came to college I decided to take a semester off from participating in dance. I had hardly ever been to a gym because I usually was practicing and exercising up to five days a week at my studio. So, when I stepped on a treadmill and tried running a mile or two, I found it very difficult. It was such a change from my usual routine, and I experienced lots of lightheadedness. I definitely agree with your research on being hydrated and having at least a snack before you work out because it gives your body more energy and fuel to work with. My mom is constantly texting me to remember to stay hydrated. There’s also other variables that I think could affect the quality of a workout that don’t have to do with eating or drinking, too. For example, I am prone to passing out or lightheadedness sometimes due to vertigo, which is feeling dizzy and unbalanced. When I work out, although I am getting more used to going to the gym, these symptoms are definitely emphasized if I am having a hard or rigorous workout. Therefore, there seems to be many factors that people should be cautious of, whether about themselves or their habits, before heading to IM or Rec. Below is a link about vertigo in case you’re interested, talking about what it is, its symptoms, and even ways to treat and work with it.

    http://www.webmd.com/brain/vertigo-symptoms-causes-treatment#1

  6. Madeline Elizabeth Dittrich

    I really like working out too! I like to work out every day, especially when I feel overwhelmed or stressed out. Working out helps me to get out all the negative energy. I completely understand when you say that it’s hard to keep up your workout routine in college. it’s sometimes hard for me to find time during the day to get to the gym, and even when I make it there, it’s always extremely busy. Here are some tips to make sure that you’re getting a good workout!

  7. Anthony Michael Calligaro

    I have had the exact same problem! In high school, I played soccer, basketball, and baseball, and all of these sports (except for maybe baseball) required players to stay hydrated. Especially in soccer at the beginning of the year when it is 90 degrees on turf so it feels like 110 degrees, it is very important to stay hydrated. I, similarly to you, did not like to eat a lot before games or practices. I would rather just run on an empty stomach than feel full and bloated the entire time. However, according to this link below, food provides energy needed to avoid lightheadedness or even to just avoid getting tired easily and performing poorly. So maybe I should consider eating a little more before I play sports.

    https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002458.htm

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