Why do you feel dizzy when you stand up from the sun?

 Why do you feel dizzy when you stand up from the sun?

As soon as you stand up suddenly, some of the blood starts to pool in your legs and lower body due to gravity.

The condition in which blood pressure drops and dizziness occurs when you stand up suddenly after sitting in the sun for a long time is called 'orthostatic hypotension'.

In summer, sweating and dehydration can reduce the blood supply to the brain, causing a person to lose their physical balance.

To avoid such problems, it is necessary to drink enough water, avoid sitting in too much heat, and get up slowly from a sitting position.

Many people have experienced dizziness, blurred vision, shaky body, or momentary loss of balance when standing up suddenly after sitting in the sun for a long time.

Some people consider this to be normal weakness or the effects of the sun. But in fact, it is a condition related to temporary changes in blood circulation and blood pressure within the body. The sun's heat, sweating, and lack of water can aggravate this problem.

Why does this happen?

When we sit or lie down for a long time, the blood circulation in the body is balanced according to that condition. But as soon as we stand up suddenly, some of the blood starts to accumulate in the legs and lower body due to gravity.

This can temporarily reduce the amount of blood reaching the brain. Since the brain needs a constant supply of oxygenated blood, a decrease in blood supply can cause dizziness, blurred vision, or a feeling of lightheadedness.

In most cases, this problem is temporary, but if it recurs frequently, it is also considered associated with ‘orthostatic hypotension’.

What is ‘orthostatic hypotension’?

Orthostatic hypotension is a condition in which blood pressure temporarily drops when we suddenly stand up from a sitting or lying position. Normally, the body balances blood pressure quickly. Blood vessels constrict, the heart rate increases slightly, and enough blood is sent to the brain. But sometimes this process is not fast enough.

At that time, the blood reaching the brain decreases for a while and dizziness, blurred vision, or imbalance occur. Therefore, this problem can also increase when sitting in the sun.

Why does the problem increase when sitting in the sun?

The body temperature starts to increase due to the sun and heat. To control the temperature, the body dilates the blood vessels in the skin and sweats. When the blood vessels dilate, blood pressure can decrease slightly. Similarly, when you sweat a lot, water and salt are released from the body. If you do not drink enough water, the body can become dehydrated, which increases the likelihood of dizziness.

How does dehydration affect you?

When there is a lack of water in the body, the blood volume also starts to decrease. When the blood volume decreases, the heart has to work harder to deliver enough blood to the brain.

When you stand up suddenly, the body cannot balance the blood pressure quickly, so less blood reaches the brain for a few moments and you feel dizzy.

Other symptoms seen in summer

After spending a long time in the sun, not only dizziness, but also other symptoms may appear, such as extreme weakness, headache, nausea, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, and body sluggishness.

All these symptoms may be related to heat and water imbalance in the body.

Who is more at risk?

The nervous system that controls blood pressure may be less effective in older people. Therefore, they are more likely to experience dizziness when they suddenly stand up.

But this problem is not limited to the elderly. It can also occur in young and healthy people due to excessive heat, lack of water, prolonged fasting, lack of sleep, and extreme physical fatigue.

The effect of hunger and low glucose is also a factor

Not eating for a long time can reduce the amount of glucose in the blood. Since the brain gets its main energy from glucose, its deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, and dizziness. This problem may be more noticeable if the person has also been sitting in the sun.

Medications may also have an effect

Some medications can lower blood pressure. Medications, especially those used for high blood pressure, heart disease, or some mental health problems, can increase the risk of dizziness when you stand up suddenly.

When should you see a doctor?

Normal dizziness usually goes away within a few seconds and the person returns to normal. However, frequent dizziness, fainting, chest pain, difficulty breathing, weakness in one part of the body, difficulty speaking, and other symptoms may indicate other serious health problems.

How to avoid dizziness?

– Drink enough water throughout the day

– Avoid staying in extreme heat for a long time

– Eat regularly

– Get up slowly after sitting for a long time

– Move your legs for a few seconds before getting up

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