Have you ever experienced exercise-induced nausea? It can be concerning to experience, so we’re here to ease your mind with an ultimate guide to exercise-induced nausea and how long it should last.
If you’ve ever been in your groove during exercise, feeling accomplished and on cloud nine, you’ve probably also experienced dizziness or nausea during exercise. In most cases, this is nothing to worry about.
Let’s take a look at what causes this and how long it might last.
Length Of Exercise-Induced Nausea
Exercise-induced nausea is usually not a big health concern, however, it is not very pleasant to deal with. Usually, the symptoms will resolve themselves within an hour of finishing the exercise.
If this problem lasts longer than this, it is worth consulting a healthcare professional for some advice on your specific case.
In some cases, nausea after exercise can lead to vomiting. If this happens, you are likely to feel better almost immediately. However, ensure that you rehydrate and replace any of the nutrition that you lost through vomiting.
If you want to increase the intensity of your workouts, it is a good idea to seek the advice of a trained professional who will be able to tailor a plan to your needs.
Personal trainers can set up a program that will provide you with the appropriate level of intensity.
What Causes Exercise-Induced Nausea?
When you are exercising, the muscles in your arms and legs usually contract. To work, these muscles require lots of oxygen. To get this oxygen around your body, your heart muscle will contract too as the oxygen travels through your body in the blood.
To be specific, oxygen is carried through your body in the hemoglobin molecules in your red blood cells.
To maximize the amount of blood that is being taken to these muscles, your body will divert blood away from the areas where it isn’t needed at the time. One of these areas is your gut.
This process is known as vasoconstriction and it causes some blood vessels in your body to narrow.
This process causes distress to your body as it changes the way that the digestive system works. It changes the cell’s ability to absorb what is being digested and how this food moves through the body.
This may be worsened if your body is trying to break down food as you exercise, which is why it is worse if you have just eaten before you start the exercise.
You may experience worse nausea if the meal you had before your workout contained a large amount of concentrated carbohydrates.
How Can You Cure Exercise-Induced Nausea?
It isn’t ideal to experience stomach cramps or nausea during exercise, so we’ve compiled some top tips to limit these symptoms or ease them if they do occur.
Moderate The Intensity Of Your Exercise
Nausea is very common when you partake in high-intensity exercise. This is because there is higher competition for blood flow.
This is especially true for those who are new to exercise, as your body may not be used to the intensity of exercise.
It is a good idea to gradually increase the intensity of your exercise, instead of starting with very high intensity. This will minimize the likelihood of you experiencing distress.
Modify Exercise Routine
Certain exercises have been found to cause more nausea than other exercises. For instance, cycling puts the body in a position that is more likely to create these gut problems. If you experience nausea, try some different forms of exercise to see if it occurs less in those cases.
Combining different modes of exercise is a great way to control nausea as it will minimize any discomfort that you might feel.
It is also useful to add both warm-ups and cool-downs to your exercise routine. This allows your body a chance to get used to the changes, resulting in a smoother transition.
Change Your Diet
What you eat and drink has a big impact on nausea during exercise. The most important thing to do is ensure that you are hydrated. This is one of the best ways to prevent any issues with nausea during and after exercise.
If you are exercising in particularly hot or humid weather, this is even more important.
While staying hydrated is important, you must ensure you don’t overhydrate. You shouldn’t drink any more than half a liter an hour, as any more than this can be too much for your body.
Different foods affect different people in different ways, so it may take some time to figure out what works best for you. Adding foods like crackers and ginger to your diet may settle nausea, so give this a try!
Common Symptoms
Nausea is not the only symptom that is associated with exercise. It is common for cyclists to experience other symptoms including heartburn, belching, and gastroesophageal reflux.
Runners are more likely to experience symptoms like stomach cramps and diarrhea as it commonly affects the lower gut more.
All of these symptoms are likely to subside within an hour of finishing your workout, however, if they do not go away on their own, seek medical advice. Adjust your diet and ensure that you stay hydrated to minimize symptoms!
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! If you’re struggling with exercise-induced nausea, we hope you’ve found out everything you need to know in this ultimate guide.
Usually, nausea will subside an hour after exercise, but if this doesn’t happen for you, speak to a doctor to see if there are any other underlying causes for the problem.
We have also compiled a list of some ways to prevent or ease the symptoms of exercise-induced nausea.
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