Why do I feel sick in the morning?

The phrase ‘getting out the wrong side of the bed’ may well refer to waking up in a bad mood – but what if you wake up genuinely feeling sick?

If you’re not a morning person, you’ll know all too well about the struggles of having to leave your bed when the alarm clock sounds.

The amount of time you hit your snooze button eventually has to stop but you desperately don’t want to get up because you need that extra 10 minutes.

And once you do finally get up you might not feel 100%, including feeling sick first thing.

What does it mean if you’re feeling sick after waking up?

If you’re a woman, one of the first signs of pregnancy is morning sickness.

Many women suffer in the early stages but it doesn’t put your baby at any increased risk, and usually clears up by weeks 16 to 20 of your pregnancy.

But there are many common reasons you could wake up feeling queasy, including nausea.

Having a bad night’s sleep can leave you waking up feeling sick with a disturbed night wreaking havoc with on your circadian rhythm.

It can lead to exhaustion that can make you feel sick in the morning, leaving you feeling run down, grumpy and irritable.

Dehydration is another cause of feeling sick in the morning if your body hasn’t consumed enough fluid.

You can become dehydrated when your body is losing more fluids than it takes in.

Drinking plenty of water is essential for good health and to keep our body feeling nourished and a lack of water in your body can bring on nausea.

Anxiety could also prompt people to wake up feeling sick.

If you have a job interview, an exam, a big event coming up or lots on your mind then nerves can take over and cause anxiety and nausea.

A person’s diet will also impact how they feel in the morning.

A large, unhealthy meal late at night could lead you to waking up feeling worse for wear, as would an evening of drinking.

NHS guidance advises against eating three to four hours before you go to bed to avoid acid reflux.

As well as the feeling of nausea, acid reflux can cause a burning sensation in the chest, a sour taste in the mouth and burping.

If your symptoms include feeling dizzy and a loss of balance then an ear infection could be contributing to why you feel sick in the morning.

Labyrinthitis is an inner ear condition caused by inflammation of the nerve that sends balance information to the brain.

A virus such as a cold or flu, or, more rarely, a bacterial infection, can bring on nausea symptoms.

The NHS recommends:

Get plenty of fresh air – go for a walk outside or open a window in your home.
Distract yourself – listen to music or watch a film, for example.
Have a cold drink – some people find fizzy drinks best, be sure to sip them slowly though.

Drink ginger or peppermint tea.
Eat foods containing ginger – such as ginger biscuits.
Eat smaller, more frequent meals – rather than larger ones, spaced apart by hours at a time.

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