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Lightheadedness After Exercise

Shashank Nakate
The experience of lightheadedness after exercise is common. If the causes of lightheadedness are understood properly and necessary precautions taken, one can easily deal with this problem.
The feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness is caused by the shortage of supply of oxygen or blood to the brain. This condition results from rapid dehydration or low blood pressure. Lightheadedness experienced after exercise is due to the blood flow that results from increased or harder pumping of heart.
One of the causes of lightheadedness after doing workout is the abrupt cessation of exercise. It is therefore, necessary to increase or decrease the rate of exercising gradually. By following this practice, balance of the bodily systems is maintained and sudden changes are prevented.

Causes of Lightheadedness

The lightheaded feeling or dizziness is commonly observed among those who perform vigorous exercises like running and other such workouts. During an exercise, the heart beats faster in comparison to its normal rate. It helps in providing sufficient blood to the muscles that are being exercised. Thus, one might experience lightheadedness after exercise.
The state of dizziness is somewhat similar to vertigo; however in vertigo, one feels as if he is whirling, spinning or tilting.
Nausea is also one of the symptoms of lightheadedness exhibited along with dizziness after exercise. The blood which is used up by high-intensity muscular activities and taken away from the intestinal tracts results into the experience of nausea after exercise.
It is but natural to feel worried by the experience of dizziness or lightheadedness. However, one should understand that the reasons for lightheadedness can be varied and many different complications might be involved in it.
The experience of lightheadedness though, is not a big problem, however, if it occurs during exercise then it should be taken seriously. It might be an indication of a heart disease which needs immediate treatment. In such cases, exercising should be aborted and medical help sought immediately. Consulting a doctor can help prevent major health problems.

What to do for Lightheadedness?

The immediate step to be taken by those experiencing lightheadedness is to lie down in a manner that the head is at a same level to that of heart. It causes blood to flow towards the brain and thereby, reduces the feeling of dizziness.
Before coming to a halt during vigorous physical activities like workouts and running, it is necessary to slow down gradually. For example, after running for a long distance, one should keep jogging for a short distance before finally stopping.
One should also check whether the reason for lightheadedness is heat stroke. Heat stroke is also one of the major causes of dizziness. A person who falls short of energy while performing an exercise can also experience lightheadedness. It is therefore, necessary to consume enough food before working out.
Keeping the body hydrated and consuming a nutritious diet is necessary to avoid any possibility of lightheadedness or dizziness. Having a light snack before working out also helps in preventing lightheadedness.
Breathing properly while working out helps in supplying enough oxygen to the muscles. Many people hold the breath unknowingly while working out. It restricts the flow oxygen to the muscles in need of energy.
Warming up before the exercise and cooling down after performing it is necessary in order to maintain a sound health. The different stretching exercises and techniques help in warming up the body and conditioning it properly.
Building up the stamina is important because it helps increase the endurance level and one doesn't fall short of energy while working out. Problems like severe dizziness can be minimized by following the mentioned measures.
The feeling of lightheadedness after exercise shouldn't cause much worry if your vital organs are working smoothly. However, one should take proper care of his health, consume nutritious food and perform various lightheadedness exercises that are easygoing, in order to keep this problem in check.