Nausea After Exercise: Why Does It Happen?
Nausea is a common feeling that appears after exercise. It can occur both in people who exercise often and in people who are out of shape. Various factors can cause it. In this article we will talk about the most common causes, as well as some measures to prevent nausea after exercise.
What is nausea?
Nausea is an uncomfortable feeling in the upper abdomen or stomach followed by an urge to vomit. It is very uncomfortable and can last for minutes or hours.
The causes of nausea can be many and varied. Some of them are gastrointestinal infections, but it is even possible that they occur as a side effect of some medications.
Now we will talk especially about nausea after exercise. It may appear within a few minutes after you perform a physical activity or during the workout itself. In addition, it can occur both in athletes who are used to intense training, as well as in people who are out of shape and usually do not practice any kind of sport.
Why does nausea occur during exercise?
There are many physiological causes of nausea during or after exercise. Some of the most common are as follows.
Dehydration
When you exercise, especially with a certain intensity or during periods or times when it is very hot, you sweat. Sweating is a physiological mechanism necessary for the regulation and maintenance of body temperature.
What happens is that when you sweat, you lose fluid and mineral salts. This loss causes the blood pressure to drop because blood mostly consists of water. This can cause nausea and dizziness.
It is therefore very important to replenish the same amount of water and salt that you lose through sweat. You can do this by drinking water or isotonic drinks that keep your blood pressure stable. It is important to drink fluids often and in small sips. You should do this before, during and after you finish exercising.
Hyperhydration
As we have said, it is important to stay well hydrated, but you must keep in mind that excessive hydration also has side effects.
Adequate levels of both water and mineral salts are necessary to keep your blood pressure at the right levels and for your organs to function properly. Among these, sodium is the most important for regulating blood pressure.
When you drink too much water, the amount of fluid in your body increases, and what is called hypervolemia occurs. When this happens, the amount of salt in your body becomes more diluted, so the concentration is lower.
As we have said, one of the most important substances is sodium. When the sodium concentration is lower than normal, nausea and discomfort occur. To avoid this, you need to drink isotonic drinks that give you these salts.
Digestive cuts
What is popularly called “digestion breakdown” has a physiological explanation. When we eat, the body uses a large part of its energy to digest food. This is especially true with foods that are rich in fat and protein. To do this, it diverts a large proportion of blood from circulation to the stomach, so that it can function at its best.
At the same time, when we exercise, the muscles also require a lot of energy because they need a lot of oxygen to perform movements and make an effort. This is why if we perform physical activity shortly after a large meal, the gastrointestinal tract will not receive all the blood it needs for digestion.
This situation also causes nausea and vomiting. To avoid this, it is important not to eat large or very fatty meals 2 to 3 hours before training with high or moderate intensity.
Prevention of nausea after exercise
Nausea is a very common symptom when exercising, so in principle there is no need to worry. When we do sports, however, we can take into account several measures to prevent discomfort.
It is best not to eat too much 2 to 4 hours before exercise. We should also drink isotonic drinks during exercise to prevent loss of water and mineral salts.
In addition, we should avoid being outside in the hottest hours of the day, especially during the summer season, when we sweat more and dehydration can occur faster.
