Last Updated on February 22, 2024 by Shabnam Sengupta
Dizziness, the sensation of the ground shifting beneath your feet, affects nearly everyone at some point. It can range from mild disorientation to the debilitating spins of vertigo. It’s a symptom, not a disease itself, and unravelling its cause can be difficult. In this article, we discuss dizziness due to stress.
What are the different types of dizziness?
Dizziness applies to different types of sensations. There are four types of dizziness based on these sensations. Doctors need to understand the specific symptoms of dizzy patients to know which type it is.
- Vertigo: Persons feel an illusion that they are moving despite being stationary. They may perceive the surroundings to be moving. Usually, there is a swirling or spinning movement during vertigo. Inner ear infection and disease, stroke, trauma, and vestibular migraine are some causes of vertigo.
- Disequilibrium: There is a loss of balance in disequilibrium. Most people feel that they cannot walk properly in disequilibrium. They perceive the sensation of imbalance in their legs rather than in their head.
- Presyncope: Patients feel that they are about to faint in presyncope. Restricted blood flow to the brain is the reason for presyncope.
- Lightheadedness: Patients describe lightheadedness as a feeling of having a heavy head. They may feel confused. They may describe their condition as floating in the air.
Can there be dizziness due to stress?
Stress can have various impacts on your health. For instance, stress may result in unwanted weight loss, among other health disorders. Similarly, it may also cause dizziness. Inside the inner ears, where there are little canals filled with fluid. These canals are crucial for helping us stay steady on our feet. They form the vestibular system. During imbalance, the fluid level changes in these canals, sending messages to the brain to help us become steady. This pathway of regaining balance is vestibular compensation.
Studies suggest that excessive levels of stress have damaging effects on vestibular compensation. Thus, chronic stress can cause dizziness by disrupting the balance-regaining mechanism of the body. Survivors of acutely stressful events, such as earthquakes, experience dizziness.
In 2017, a study showed that chronic stress can cause vertigo in adolescents. Older studies have also found a link between stress and vertigo in adults. Stress may cause vertigo by causing chronic or acute pain. The symptoms of vertigo improved if the stress was lower.
Research also showed that the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, are higher during vertigo. Further, a study in 2018 showed that high emotional distress can prolong dizziness.
In addition to stress, anxiety can cause dizziness. Anxiety and dizziness have a two-way link. Some anxious patients experience dizziness. At the same time, some dizzy patients become anxious.
How can I stop the dizziness caused by stress?
Proper management of stress causing dizziness can provide relief. Individuals can reduce dizziness episodes by addressing the root cause of stress.
Physical movement and breathing exercises are effective ways of coping with stress. Research shows that Quigong has a positive effect on stress-related symptoms. Quigong is a Chinese way of exercising with breath control.
Mindfulness practices also help in managing dizziness due to stress. Mindfulness means noticing your thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them. In this manner, a person develops a habit of not reacting to stress without thinking. One of the ways that can help you with stress is yoga. Yoga enhances self and body awareness, self-compassion, and social connection. Other mindfulness techniques include meditation and body scan techniques.
Additionally, a study found the role of a traditional Korean herb in reducing stress. Jaeumgeonbi-tang reduces the blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Though this herb provides relief from stress, it is not a treatment. Food can also play a significant role in this. Changing your food habits may help you lower your stress levels. You can opt for healthier diets.
Providing emotional support can be a powerful stress-busting strategy. Research shows that student-led programs can reduce stress and burnout among students. In these programs, the senior students mentored and supported the junior students. People with high stress are prone to developing sleep disorders. Scientists studied one such population in Japan. They found that distraction strategies like hobbies can be effective for stress management. Other coping strategies are avoiding smoking and drinking, eating healthy, and sleeping properly.
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