Key takeaways:
Nausea in the morning is a common symptom. And many times the cause is simple — like fatigue, hunger, or dehydration.
Some medical conditions that can cause morning nausea include acid reflux, high or low blood sugar, even mental health conditions.
There are some easy changes you can make to help get rid of morning nausea. And some symptoms can let you know when it may be more serious.
If you feel a bit queasy when you first wake up, you’re not alone. Sometimes, nausea quickly goes away once you get up and going. But other times, it can make it hard to start your day. And when you feel sick to your stomach, it can be difficult to pinpoint what’s causing it.
Did you eat something bad or drink too much? Could you be pregnant? These are common thoughts that run through people’s heads. But there are more causes of nausea in the morning than you may think.
Why do you feel like throwing up in the morning?
Morning nausea can happen to anybody — not just pregnant women. Several normal bodily processes can lead to nausea, especially in the morning.
The stomach starts the digestion process by squeezing food and releasing acid to help break it down. But sometimes, when the stomach squeezes, its contents can move up instead of down. This can cause nausea — and sometimes vomiting.
Morning nausea may be worse because:
Acid builds up in your stomach overnight.
Undigested food from your last meal is still in your stomach.
Lying flat makes it easier for stomach contents to travel upward.
Most of the time, nausea in the morning is temporary and not a major cause for concern. But nausea can also be your body’s way of telling you something isn’t quite right — not just in your gut but somewhere else, too.
Causes of nausea in the morning
Here are 15 of the more common causes of morning nausea.
1. Fatigue
Poor sleep and insomnia are among the most common causes of nausea in the morning. This is especially true if you don’t wake up naturally. This can happen when deep sleep is interrupted by something like an alarm clock, phone call, or a crying baby.
2. Hunger or dehydration
When your body needs food or water, it’s not always going to send typical hunger or thirst cues. Many times, nausea is the main and/or only symptom.
3. High or low blood sugar
People with diabetes may be more likely to have high or low blood sugar in the morning than other times in the day. Low blood sugar can happen if your nighttime insulin dose is too high — especially with long-acting insulin. It can also happen if you didn’t have enough to eat the night before. High blood sugar can happen if your insulin dose is too low or wears off while your body is still digesting food.
4. Acid reflux
Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) doesn’t always cause classic heartburn symptoms. Sometimes, it only causes nausea. This is especially common in the morning because acid can build up overnight.
5. Mood and mental health
Many people with depression or anxiety experience nausea and loss of appetite. But even those without these conditions may feel nauseous in the morning when something in the upcoming day is causing a feeling of stress or dread.
6. Substances
Many people are familiar with how an alcohol hangover can cause nausea the next morning. But withdrawal symptoms from any substance — including caffeine — can also cause nausea.
7. Pregnancy
Morning sickness refers to nausea from pregnancy-related changes in your body. It can happen at any time during the day but it’s often worse when you first wake up.
About 3 in 4 people experience nausea at some point during their pregnancy. This is mainly due to high levels of hormones and slower digestion. Morning sickness usually resolves on its own after the first few months of pregnancy.
8. Headaches
Many people wake up with headaches. And some of the causes of morning headaches — like lack of sleep — are also likely to cause nausea. But headaches themselves can trigger nausea, regardless of the cause.
And if you’re someone who experiences migraines, they’re also more common in the morning. And migraines classically cause severe nausea as well.
9. Congestion
Any increased congestion in your nose, sinuses, ears, or throat can lead to low-grade nausea. Your sleeping position can worsen these symptoms at night. In many cases, nausea from congestion is easy to identify because of other symptoms associated with the congestion. But conditions like postnasal drip may be a bit more subtle.
10. Medications or supplements
Some medications can cause nausea, especially when taken in the morning on an empty stomach. Pain medications are a common example. And when it comes to supplements, this often happens with multivitamins, iron, and zinc when taken on an empty stomach.
11. High or low blood pressure
You may also be nauseated because you haven’t yet taken your morning blood pressure medication. Both high and low blood pressure can cause nausea. So, if you take medications for these conditions, you may feel nauseous until your blood pressure normalizes.
12. Hormones
The natural rise and fall of your hormones can also trigger nausea. In the morning, cortisol — the stress hormone — is at its highest level. And this can cause nausea in some people.
13. Gastroparesis
In this condition, the stomach doesn’t empty as well as it should. And this leads to slowed digestion. While less common than other causes on this list, it’s still worth mentioning. Common causes include diabetes, cannabis use, and certain medications. For example, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists can also cause gastroparesis as a side effect.
14. Peptic ulcer
People often associate peptic ulcers with reflux or heartburn, but they are actually different conditions. Peptic ulcers are small sores that develop in the lining of the stomach (gastric ulcer), or the first part of the intestine (duodenal ulcer). The most common causes are a stomach bacteria known as H. pylori, or frequent use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Duodenal ulcers in particular tend to cause nausea and pain when the stomach is empty, and improve after eating.
15. Constipation
People don’t usually associate nausea with constipation. But constipation can cause symptoms like lack of appetite and an upset stomach. Especially if the constipation is associated with dehydration and/or poor appetite.
Many different types of laxatives can also cause nausea when they start to kick in, which can be several hours to a day after you take them.
What can you do to prevent morning nausea?
The best way to treat morning nausea is to figure out the underlying cause. But even if you’re not sure what’s causing it, here are a few things that may help:
Try having a bite of food right when you wake up, even if you don’t feel hungry.
Keep a glass of water by your bed to remind yourself to stay hydrated.
Try not to eat a big meal too close to bedtime. This gives your body time to digest before lying down.
Fatty meals tend to take longer to digest, so try limiting fats in late-night meals or snacks.
Avoid alcohol, especially right before bed.
Stick to a regular sleep schedule, and practice good sleep hygiene to improve your sleep quality.
When should you see a doctor about morning nausea?
Occasional morning nausea is usually nothing to worry about. But if it happens every morning and you’re not sure why, it’s a good idea to see your primary care provider.
Get medical help right away for morning nausea if you have:
Repeated vomiting, especially if you can’t stay hydrated
Vomiting with blood in it
Dark or tarry stool, which can be a sign of bleeding from the intestine
Intense stomach pain or cramps
A high fever
An intense headache
Lethargy or confusion
A significant drop in appetite, or unintentional weight loss
Even if you don’t have any of these symptoms, you may still want to talk with a healthcare professional. This is especially true if the nausea affects your appetite throughout the day. They can help you figure out the underlying cause.
Frequently asked questions
Most of the time, morning nausea isn’t a sign of an undiagnosed cancer. There are many more likely causes, like the list we go through above. Of course, nausea and loss of appetite can accompany any type of cancer in the body. But if that’s where your mind immediately jumps to when you’re feeling morning nausea, it’s worth considering other more common causes first.
Yes, birth control can cause nausea in the morning. Just like pregnancy, changes in hormone levels can lead to morning nausea. So any type of birth control that involves hormones can do the same. Women seem to experience this more often when they first start a new birth control, and it improves once their body gets used to it. Birth control pills can also cause nausea if you take them on an empty stomach. So it’s best to take birth control pills with a meal or a snack.
Most of the time, morning nausea isn’t a sign of an undiagnosed cancer. There are many more likely causes, like the list we go through above. Of course, nausea and loss of appetite can accompany any type of cancer in the body. But if that’s where your mind immediately jumps to when you’re feeling morning nausea, it’s worth considering other more common causes first.
Yes, birth control can cause nausea in the morning. Just like pregnancy, changes in hormone levels can lead to morning nausea. So any type of birth control that involves hormones can do the same. Women seem to experience this more often when they first start a new birth control, and it improves once their body gets used to it. Birth control pills can also cause nausea if you take them on an empty stomach. So it’s best to take birth control pills with a meal or a snack.
The bottom line
If you’re experiencing nausea in the morning, know that this is a common symptom with many possible explanations. And many of these causes aren’t serious. The nausea may go away with a few small changes to your daily schedule and habits. But pay attention to warning signs that something else may be going on. Talk with your primary care provider if you’re feeling nauseated day after day, or if you’re experiencing any other new symptoms, such as repeated vomiting and fever.
Why trust our experts?
References
Herrell, H. E. (2014). Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. American Family Physician.
Lateef, T. M., et al. (2024). Association between electronic diary–rated sleep, mood, energy, and stress with incident headache in a community-based sample. Neurology.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021). Low blood glucose (hypoglycemia).
