Dizziness When Lying Down

Dizziness is a generalized term for the feeling of loss of balance, feeling of fainting, vertigo, sudden feeling of weakness, feeling lightheaded, stumbling, trembling, and feeling lost, emotionally as well. You may experience dizziness when lying down as a result of various mild to severe causes. Let's get into the details about what causes dizzy spells when lying down.

Causes of Dizziness When Lying Down

Many people complain about feeling dizzy particularly when lying down and getting up. They feel dizzy even when they get up and turn from one position to the other. Damage to the inner ear is one of the reasons that leads to dizziness when lying down. Along with that, there are a few general causes behind this sensation, which have been explained below briefly.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is the feeling when you literally feel the world spinning around you. BPPV is caused by the lack of movement of several small particles that comprise calcium stones inside the labyrinth, which is present inside the inner ear. These particles are supposed to move inside the ear, but when their movement is obstructed it can cause a person to lose balance and experience a dizzy spell that lasts from a few seconds to one or two minutes while lying down. This may occur in the elderly due to degeneration of the inner ear, and in youngsters due to a head injury. The feeling of extreme unsteadiness is also often observed when a person is suffering from this type of vertigo. This condition can also cause nausea along with dizziness when lying down.

Meniere's disease
Meniere's disease is most seen in people who are already suffering from vertigo and BPPV. Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear caused by the collection of excess fluids within them. In this case, dizziness when lying down is also accompanied by hearing loss, roaring in ears and tinnitus or loud ringing noises in both the ears.

Dehydration
When your body lacks sufficient water due to reasons such as heavy physical exercise, spending too much time in the sun, or simply not drinking enough water, your body may become dehydrated and may have you experience dizziness while standing as well as when you lie down. This is because dehydration is one of the causes of low blood pressure which results in lack of sufficient blood flow to the brain, and dizziness is one of its symptoms.

Medication
If you are consuming several types of medication to treat certain medical conditions, you may feel dizzy when lying down as a side effect of the medication. This happens because your body takes time to adapt to the medication. Antihistamines, several sorts of sleeping pills, pills taken to treat hypertension, etc. can be the reasons for dizziness when lying down.

Anxiety
Anxiety symptoms and several other mental conditions can lead to dizziness when lying down. Panic attacks, especially, panic attacks at night can develop the feeling of being lightheaded, and lead to hyperventilation and eventually dizziness. Dizzy spells while lying down can also be a symptom of a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder, though this may be a rare case.

Aging
Aging is the biggest natural factor that can cause dizziness while lying down. But it is only observed when a person is already suffering from any particular medical condition. Severe problems with several body organs can lead to trembling of the body parts, and general wear and tear of the brain nerves can cause lightheadedness and dizziness when lying down.

Along with the above-mentioned factors, there are several other factors that can lead to dizziness when lying down. These include alcohol abuse and drug abuse. Ongoing consumption of alcohol and drugs, and even non-prescribed over-the-counter drugs, can lead to dizziness when lying down. In most cases, feeling dizzy when lying down can be normal; for instance, as a result of fatigue or lack of sleep. However, it is the severity of the feeling of dizziness that matters.

Treatment for Dizziness When Lying Down

If you feel dizzy once in a while when you lie down, it can be ignored; but it's always a good idea to have every reason for dizziness explained if the sensation is more frequent than usual. Uncertainty of the cause and recurring episodes of dizziness when lying down definitely requires medical attention; this is particularly important when dizziness upon lying down is accompanied by headaches, nausea, weakness of limbs, numbness of body parts, chest pain, palpitation, or slow pulse and several other symptoms that seem inexplicable. The treatment for this sensation depends upon the cause that your doctor evaluates.

Always remember that dizziness when lying down and dizziness in general are symptoms of many severe illnesses and not an illness itself. As such, they should not be ignored and should be diagnosed and treated at the earliest. Take care!

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only and does not, in any way, intend to replace the advice of a medical expert.