Can stress cause vertigo? Here’s what you need to know
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Turns out there’s a connection between stress and vertigo. Explore how long stress-induced vertigo lasts, plus 6 effective strategies for managing vertigo caused by stress.
POV: You've sat up in bed too fast, and suddenly the room around you starts to spin. You know you're not moving, but it feels like you are and the dizziness might even be making you nauseous. Sound familiar? If you've had this awful sensation before, then you've probably experienced vertigo.
Vertigo can have several causes, like an ear infection or excess fluid in the ear. But if you don’t have one of those conditions and you’re still experiencing vertigo symptoms, they could be coming from a more surprising source — stress.
Feeling dizzy, disoriented, or nauseous is the last thing you need when a busy life has gotten the best of you. Vertigo can make everyday activities like walking, driving, or even standing still very difficult or impossible. And in more extreme cases, if you experience vertigo while driving, it can be extremely dangerous and life-threatening.
Unfortunately, when stress triggers or worsens vertigo symptoms, life can feel even more overwhelming. But you’re not alone in this experience. Let’s explore the ways you can manage both stress and the vertigo it may bring on.
What is vertigo?
Vertigo is a physical symptom that’s often described as a spinning or swaying sensation. It can feel like the world’s spinning around you, even though you’re completely still. This feeling can come on suddenly or gradually, and can be mild or severe.
Symptoms of vertigo are usually connected to problems in the inner ear or parts of the brain that help us maintain our balance. The inner ear has tiny organs that act like our body’s “balance sensors,” sending messages to the brain about our position and movement. When something goes wrong in this system, the messages between your ear and brain can get mixed up.
Common causes of vertigo
Inner ear infections: Certain viral infections can inflame your inner ear, leading to conditions like labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis — both of which can cause intense vertigo.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): Tiny particles inside the inner ear become dislodged and interfere with your balance system. This can cause sudden vertigo when you move your head in certain ways, like looking up or bending down.
Meniere’s disease: A chronic condition where fluid builds up in the inner ear. Along with vertigo, it can cause hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and a “full” feeling in the ear.
Stress-induced vertigo: A unique form triggered when high levels of stress or anxiety interfere with the balance system, even when there’s no physical issue with the inner ear.
Are stress and vertigo related?
Some people get a tension headache at the end of a long day, or a jittery feeling in their stomach when on a tight deadline. But for others, stress can lead to vertigo.
That’s because stress can affect the parts of your brain and inner ear that help keep you steady. When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, triggering your “fight or flight” response.
Constant stress can overwork your nervous system, and make your body more sensitive to changes in balance and spatial orientation, which may lead to physical symptoms like vertigo. These 13 techniques can help regulate your nervous system.
Common signs of stress-related vertigo
If you’re noticing feelings of dizziness or lack of balance when you’re under pressure, stress-related vertigo might be affecting your balance system. Here are some of the ways you might be feeling.
Lightheaded or unsteady
Dizziness that worsens during anxious moments or intense stress
Balance problems that make it hard to walk or stand
Nausea or vomiting triggered by sudden movements or changes in position
Sensitivity to light or noise, especially in stressful environments
How to deal with vertigo caused by stress: 6 tips to help you cope
Dealing with stress-related vertigo can be extremely challenging, especially when your symptoms appear unexpectedly or make your daily activities harder.
The good news is that there are practical strategies you can use to manage stress and ease vertigo symptoms. These tips can help you feel steadier—both physically and emotionally—to bring both short-term relief and long-term support and get you back to feeling like yourself again.
1. Practice relaxation techniques
Stress is a normal part of life, but you don’t want to have so much of it that it throws your day-to-day off balance (literally). Try calming your mind and body with relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, as these can help soothe your nervous system. Set aside some time each day to practice self-care through relaxation. Check out these 12 ideas for guidance.
Top tip: Inhale slowly through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale through your mouth. Repeat until you feel your body and mind relax.
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2. Limit caffeine and alcohol
It might seem like a coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening could reduce stress, but if you’re dealing with vertigo, try another beverage like sparkling water or herbal tea. Caffeine can increase your heart rate and heighten anxiety, while alcohol can disrupt the signals in your brain that help you maintain balance. And both of these can make vertigo symptoms worse.
Top tip: Reduce or eliminate these substances, especially during more stressful times. Drink decaffeinated beverages, and swap alcohol for soft drinks or calming herbal teas like chamomile — they may help keep your vertigo symptoms at bay.
3. Stay hydrated
We all know that hydration is hugely important for overall health, but it can also help with vertigo symptoms. Dehydration can easily worsen feelings of dizziness and vertigo, and it’s something many people overlook. Drink water throughout the day, especially if you’re under pressure—and even if you don’t feel thirsty—as stress can increase your body’s need for hydration.
Top tip: Keep a water bottle nearby to help you out when you’re going through a stressful period. If plain water isn’t exciting enough try adding lemon or fresh mint to your water.
4. Move slowly and avoid sudden changes in position
Moving quickly might feel necessary when stress is high, but do everything you can to slow down. Quick movements can often trigger or worsen your vertigo symptoms, because your body needs extra time to adjust to changes in position.
Top tip: Move slowly and deliberately when you stand up, turn your head, or bend over, to give your balance system time to adapt and prevent your vertigo symptoms from escalating. If you’re feeling lightheaded, carefully sit or lie down until the sensation passes.
5. Try vestibular therapy
If stress-related vertigo continues to interfere with your daily life, look into vestibular therapy. Also called vestibular rehabilitation, it’s a type of physical therapy that focuses on improving balance and reducing dizziness with exercises that help strengthen the body’s balance system, like head movements and balance exercises.
Top tip: Work with a trained therapist to help you learn exercises tailored to your needs.
6. Set up a calming bedtime routine
Staying well-rested means your body’s better equipped to handle stress, which can help reduce vertigo symptoms. If your life’s already busy, don’t worry! Small lifestyle changes can add up to improve both your sleep quality and your resilience to stress. Explore these nine tips to create the ideal bedtime routine for adults.
Top tip: A relaxing bedtime routine can help your mind and body wind down: turn off screens an hour before bed, do gentle stretches, or listen to calming music. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to create a stable routine.
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Can stress cause vertigo FAQs
What is the difference between vertigo and dizziness?
Vertigo and dizziness are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually different. Here are some of the key ways that they differ.
Vertigo feels like either you or the world around you is spinning or moving. It’s more intense than a general feeling of being off-balance and it’s often associated with issues in the inner ear or certain parts of the brain that control balance. People with vertigo may feel like they’re swaying, or that the ground beneath them is shifting, and this can make it difficult to stay steady.
Dizziness can describe a range of sensations, like feeling lightheaded, faint, or unsteady. While vertigo always involves a sense of movement, dizziness may simply feel like being “off” or disoriented — without the spinning. Dizziness can sometimes come and go quickly and may be linked to things like dehydration, sudden changes in blood pressure, or anxiety.
Chat with your doctor about your exact symptoms to help you find the right treatment.
How long does vertigo from stress last?
Stress-induced vertigo can last different lengths of time, and can depend on how well your stress is managed.
For some people, an episode of vertigo may only last a few minutes to a few hours — especially if it’s triggered by a specific stressful moment. For others, particularly those experiencing chronic stress or anxiety, vertigo episodes may come and go for days or even weeks until the underlying stress is addressed.
You can begin to manage stress through relaxation techniques (like these 18 grounding techniques), healthy lifestyle choices, and professional support when you need it, which can help reduce the frequency and duration of your vertigo episodes. And if they start lasting longer or becoming more frequent, talk to a healthcare provider: they can help rule out other causes and support you in managing your stress better.
Can anxiety cause vertigo?
Anxiety can cause vertigo or make existing vertigo symptoms worse. That’s because when you’re anxious, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, where stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released to help you deal with perceived threats. These hormones can make you hyper-aware of bodily sensations and disrupt the balance system, and this can lead to dizziness or vertigo. Explore these seven ways to lower cortisol levels and reduce stress hormones naturally.
You may experience “psychogenic dizziness,” where feelings of anxiety directly cause sensations of dizziness or lightheadedness, so your body misinterprets normal movements or slight changes in balance as something more serious, causing you to feel off-balance or like the world’s spinning.
Use techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, or therapy to help you address anxiety, manage your symptoms, and prevent them from escalating.
Is there medication available to treat stress-induced vertigo?
Medications can help manage vertigo symptoms — especially when stress or anxiety is involved.
For short-term relief, some doctors may prescribe anti-dizziness medications—known as vestibular suppressants—like meclizine or dimenhydrinate, which can help reduce symptoms of spinning and nausea. These medications are typically used only for short periods since long-term use can lead to side effects and may prevent your body from adjusting to balance changes naturally.
If anxiety is a big part of your vertigo experience, your doctor might recommend medications such as certain SSRIs or benzodiazepines. These can help reduce anxiety and, in turn, lower the chances of vertigo episodes.
For chronic cases, doctors usually recommend combining medication with lifestyle changes (like incorporating a few of these 13 healthy habits) or trying vestibular therapy. Talk to your healthcare provider to help you find the right approach and decide whether medication may be a good option for you.
What are the long-term effects of chronic vertigo?
Chronic vertigo can have several long-term effects on both your physical and emotional wellbeing, but the good news is that with a combination of lifestyle adjustments, vestibular therapy, and mental health support, many people find relief and can reduce these long-term effects.
Physically, chronic vertigo can lead to balance issues, increasing the risk of falls and making certain activities—like driving, walking in crowded spaces, or standing up quickly—more challenging.
Over time, this may lead people to limit their activities, which can have its own impact on quality of life and overall physical health.
Emotionally, dealing with vertigo regularly can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, or even depression, as it can feel isolating and difficult to manage.
Some people may experience “anticipatory anxiety,” where the anxiety about the possibility of vertigo episodes means they get stuck in a cycle of stress and vertigo that’s hard to break.
What is the fastest way to cure vertigo?
There isn’t always an instant “cure” for vertigo, but there are some helpful techniques. Give these a try to see if you can get quick relief, or find it easier to get through the episodes and prevent your symptoms from escalating.
If your vertigo is caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a particular series of head and body movements can help. Known as the Epley maneuver, these are designed to reposition tiny particles in the inner ear that can trigger spinning sensations. Get a healthcare provider’s guidance to make sure it’s done correctly and is safe for you.
For stress-related vertigo, the fastest relief often comes from calming techniques that reduce the immediate sense of dizziness or disorientation. Try these seven deep breathing exercises, lie down in a quiet space, or close your eyes and focus on slow breathing to help bring your body back to calm.
For ongoing relief, combine regular stress management, lifestyle adjustments, and possibly vestibular therapy for the best approach to feeling steadier and reducing vertigo.
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