Getting a good night’s sleep is vital to one’s health. However, some people can find it very difficult to have quality sleep due to various factors. And this is a problem many people suffering from vertigo have to deal with.
Vertigo can be described as dizziness in which the person experiences a sensation of the environment spinning around them. While it may not be a medical condition in itself, vertigo can be a symptom of other disorders. And if you’re experiencing vertigo, it can significantly affect your sleep quality. So, how do you get better sleep with vertigo?
How Vertigo Affects Sleep
When a person is asleep, they’re not really aware of what their body is doing. So, it can be quite common for people to change positions throughout the night. While this is seemingly harmless, it can be problematic for people suffering from vertigo.
One condition that prominently features vertigo as a symptom is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). And when a person has BPPV, the changes in head position during sleep can actually trigger a vertigo attack.
Another disease that has vertigo as a symptom is Meniere’s disease. This disease involves abnormal fluid buildup in a person’s inner ear, which can cause severe vertigo attacks. And sometimes, lying in bed can promote the buildup of this fluid in the inner ear.
When you frequently experience vertigo attacks in your sleep, it can lead to sleep deprivation. And when one is sleep-deprived, their quality of life can be affected, from mood changes to difficulty focusing and even increased risk of diseases.
How to Sleep Better with Vertigo
If vertigo is affecting your quality of sleep, it’s best to find ways to reduce the chances of sleep-disrupting episodes. Here are some tips that may help prevent vertigo attacks at night and improve your quality of sleep.
1. Create a Calming Bedtime Routine
The winding down portion of the night can greatly affect your quality of sleep. That’s why it’s often recommended to have a calming bedtime routine to help ease your body and mind into sleep.
Stress is often a huge factor that affects your sleep. Aside from keeping you awake, stress can also increase your chances of having vertigo attacks at night. So, it’s best to do stress-relieving activities before bed.
There are many options you can choose from. You can take a warm bath before bed or perhaps do some calming yoga. Journaling is also a great way to relieve stress. Or if you’re not really into that, you can try meditating. What matters is that you create a sustainable bedtime routine that relaxes you and eases you into sleep.
2. Sleep on Your Back
If you have Meniere’s disease, you likely suffer from vertigo frequently. And the vertigo attacks are often triggered due to fluid buildup in the inner ear. When you sleep on your back, you’re actually preventing this fluid buildup. Conversely, sleeping on your side, especially with the ear down, can trigger vertigo attacks.
3. Don’t Get Up Too Fast
We’ve all felt that sudden dizziness when we get up too fast. And when you have vertigo, it can feel a lot worse. So, it’s best to move slowly when you’re trying to get up. By not rushing the transition from lying to sitting to standing, you actually minimize the chances of a vertigo attack. This is because slow movements can help your inner ear adapt to the new position.
Final Thoughts
Vertigo episodes at night are common for those suffering from certain diseases. And these disruptions in the night can greatly affect your quality of sleep. To avoid triggering vertigo attacks while sleeping, it’s best to sleep on your back and rise from bed slowly. Having stress-relieving activities can also help the body and mind ease into sleep.
If you frequently experience vertigo or have sleep problems, it’s best to see your primary care doctor about it. At Garden State Medical Group, you can expect premier personalized service for whatever condition you are experiencing. Our board-certified physicians and specialists practice multidisciplinary integrative and functional medicine with a focus on prevention, management, and education. Start a telemedicine call now!