If you’re feeling dizzy or light-headed after a workout, you could be over-exerting yourself.
It’s in the nature of a bodybuilder to push himself past his limits. But we should never get too comfortable in the gym, no matter how much time we spend there. The truth is working out can be extremely dangerous if we don’t make sure to take the proper safety measures.
Feeling dizzy or light-headed after a workout can be caused by a number of factors. Usually the culprit is dehydration, but sometimes it can be something more serious, such as a heart condition. Here are our top 5 tips for working out smarter, not harder, and taking care of your body even as you push yourself for maximum results:
5. Stay Hydrated
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how easy it is to forget to hydrate, especially if you’re someone who spends a long time in the gym every day and start to move out of habit and repetition more than actual thought. You should always hydrate before and after a workout. Depending on the exercise, drinking small amounts of water throughout can also be beneficial, and keeps your muscles from dehydrating.
4. Warm Up Before You Work Out
It can be jarring to the body to suddenly leap into motion after a long time being still. This tip goes out especially to those of you who work out first thing in the morning, right after your body was essentially motionless for 8 hours! Think about it. Warming up helps ease the body into movement and it reduces the risk of injury, so, there’s really no reason ever not to do it.
3. Try Yoga, Hiking, or Swimming
Dizziness after a workout is sometimes caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. This could be because your lungs aren’t working at full capacity and can’t keep up with the stress of an intense workout. Low-intensity activities like yoga or a going for a gentle hike have been shown to help regulate and strengthen breathing over time. If you take up a practice like this alongside doing heavier workouts in the gym, it will make you a much better athlete all around.
2. Don’t Smoke or Drink Too Much
Again, this one seems obvious, but you’d be surprised. Smoking is bad for you and hangovers leave you dehydrated and depleted. Take it easy on both, even on the weekends, if you’re serious about your cardiovascular health and avoiding dizziness in the gym.
1. See a Doctor if Something Seems Serious
You should never experience dizziness after working out consistently, even if you do sometimes over-exert yourself. If you feel dizzy and light-headed every single time you work out, consult with a doctor immediately. Many heart conditions go undiagnosed because the symptoms are hard to tell apart from the regular fatigue that sets in from working out.