Despite how important we know stretching is, many of us find ourselves tempted to skip the practice after a workout and get a move on with our days. But if it makes you feel woozy, dizzy, or lightheaded, you’re probably even less likely to devote a few minutes to loosening tight muscles (even if you know you should).

The good news is there may be ways you can stop this feeling before it starts and have an easier time sticking to a stretching routine. Here are the answers you’ve been looking for if you’re wondering why you get dizzy when you stretch.

Why Do I Get Dizzy When I Stretch?

First, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page: “Dizziness” is often used to describe two different feelings. One is lightheadedness, or feeling like you might faint or pass out. The other is vertigo, where you might feel like the world is spinning around you. Both can happen when you stretch—and there are lots of reasons why, especially if you experience dizziness when stretching or twisting your neck. 

Here are the most likely culprits of feeling lightheaded or dizzy when you stretch. 

1. Restricted Blood Flow

Stretching, especially stretching your neck, can temporarily limit blood flow to your brain, causing lightheadedness, says Kenzie Johnston, MD, a primary care sports medicine physician at Duke University School of Medicine. She says that this reflex even has a fancy name: the vasodepressor response. “There are particular sensors within the neck that speak to the central nervous system that, if they’re stretched or compressed in certain ways, they can then cause this reflex to happen,” she explains.

In extreme scenarios, this can even lead to fainting, called stretch syncope. But research suggests this is a pretty rare reaction and more likely to happen after twisting your next and/or holding your breath.

Certain positions, like neck extension (aka arching your head back), might also directly compress certain blood vessels in your neck, Dr. Johnston adds, leading to dizziness.

2. Holding Your Breath

Forgetting to breathe during a particularly spicy stretch (a common stretching mistake!) “momentarily affects blood pressure and venous return,” says Sean Carpenter, a physical therapist at Memorial Hermann Health System.
Venous return is the blood that flows back to your heart. If you don’t have enough blood flowing back, you also don’t have enough blood to pump back out, which might make you temporarily dizzy as a result.

3. Postural Hypotension

This is a fancy medical term for a drop in your blood pressure when you change positions (like when you jump out of bed too fast), and it can happen after exercise, Carpenter says. If you just worked out and now you’re moving around as you run through some static stretches, you might get that sudden hit of wooziness.

4. Medications

Certain prescription meds might make you feel lightheaded or dizzy at any point, including while you’re stretching. “Anyone who’s on blood pressure medications is at risk for this to happen, because the blood pressure medication is going to lower your blood pressure, and then your threshold to have this response might be reduced,” Dr. Johnston says. (But don’t stop or change your medications without talking to your healthcare provider first.)

5. Low Blood Sugar

If you didn’t eat before your workout and now you’re stretching and dizzy, you may be running low on energy. “If you haven’t fueled well for the workout or you haven’t taken in [adequate] carbohydrates, that could definitely cause those symptoms,” Dr. Johnston says.

6. Dehydration

Similarly, if you’re not drinking enough water and you worked out really hard before a stretch session, you might have pushed yourself past your limits and now feel dizzy while stretching as a result. “For athletes, dehydration or overexertion could be factors, particularly during or after intense sessions,” Carpenter says.

7. Vestibular Dysfunction

Your vestibular system is located in your inner ear and controls your balance, Carpenter says, and any issues with it could potentially lead to dizziness. Vestibular dysfunction is most common after a stroke, but certain forms of it (such as long-lasting vertigo) can happen for other reasons that aren’t fully understood yet.

8. Neck Injuries

Recently hurt your neck? Any unresolved issues in the area could be affecting nerves or blood vessels and causing your symptoms, Carpenter says.

Is It Unusual to Feel Dizzy When Stretching?

Despite such a wide range of potential causes of dizziness when stretching, Carpenter doesn’t find this sensation to be all that common. “Dizziness or lightheadedness during stretching is not considered normal, and it shouldn’t be ignored,” he says. “While stretching is generally a low-risk activity, feeling lightheaded may signal an underlying issue that needs to be addressed before continuing.”

Some people may feel hesitant to mention it to a physician, as it may not seem like a super-pressing health issue, but “we would rather have people bring it up in the office than avoid bringing it up,” Dr. Johnston says. Especially because, as you can see from the list of causes above, “some are relatively benign, while others may be more serious,” Carpenter says.

How to Stop Dizziness When Stretching

The next time you feel dizzy or lightheaded when you stretch, stop what you’re doing and make sure you’re somewhere safe. If you feel dizzy enough that you’re concerned you might fall, you don’t want to end up hitting any equipment and injuring yourself, Carpenter says.

Try to sit or even lie down somewhere with your head supported to prevent fainting, Carpenter says. “Take deep, slow breaths so you don’t hyperventilate, which can make lightheadedness worse,” he says. Drink some water to rehydrate, and if you think your blood sugar could be low, drink a little juice or eat some fast-digesting carbs like an energy gel or a piece of fruit, he adds.

You can also try a super-simple trick: While seated, cross your legs and/or clench your fists. “That can sometimes increase that blood pressure and help reduce those symptoms,” Dr. Johnston says.

Hopefully, that’ll be it for your dizziness. “While it may turn out to be a one-time issue—such as stretching on an empty stomach or after intense activity—it can also be a sign of something more serious,” Carpenter says. “If it happens more than once, it definitely warrants a medical workup.”

When to Talk to a Doctor About Getting Dizzy When You Stretch

If you decide to speak to a healthcare professional about your lightheadedness when stretching, come prepared. Carpenter says it’s helpful to note:

“This information can help your provider determine if it’s something simple or a sign of a more complex issue,” he says.

Most importantly, your provider will be looking to (hopefully) rule out an underlying heart condition, Dr. Johnston says. You should seek immediate medical attention if you’re experiencing any chest pain or shortness of breath with your dizziness or lightheadedness, as well as if you actually pass out from the feeling, she says.

Can You Prevent Lightheadedness When Stretching?

It may not be possible to prevent all feelings of wooziness during a stretching session. But there are some steps you can take to try to limit the sensation as much as possible:

The Takeaway

Feeling dizzy or lightheaded when you stretch isn’t common and is definitely worth talking to a healthcare provider about if it happens more than once. It may be a sign of an underlying health condition that needs to be addressed, and it can be unsafe in the moment if you end up fainting and falling. If you get dizzy when you stretch, stop what you’re doing and find a safe place to sit and rest. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet, drinking enough water, breathing regularly when you stretch, and cooling down after your workouts to help prevent this feeling in the future.