How Daily Stress Can Cause Vertigo

Stress is a common part of life. But it can cause unexpected effects on the body. Some people notice they feel dizzy when they’re stressed or anxious. Vertigo is one type of dizziness. People often describe it as a feeling that the world around you is spinning. 

For some of us, stress seems to bring it on. But is there a connection? Can stress or anxiety literally make you feel like you’re spinning out of control? 

What causes vertigo?

Vertigo is caused by a problem with your sense of balance. There are two parts of the body that control this:

1. The inner ear

2. The balance center of the brain

The inner ear has three canals filled with fluid and special hair cells. They detect movement and send messages to the balance center in the brain. The most common causes of vertigo come from inflammation or something that’s out of place in the inner ear. This sends mixed signals to the brain that lead to vertigo. 

In rare cases, vertigo happens because something is affecting the balance center of the brain — like a stroke or a tumor. 

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common type of vertigo. It happens when a small crystal in the inner ear moves out of place. BPPV is vertigo that comes on with sudden movements or a change in position. BPPV isn’t dangerous or life-threatening, but it’s bothersome, disruptive, and uncomfortable.

Can stress cause vertigo? How are they connected?

When it comes to stress and vertigo, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Let’s take a look at the science we know so far.

There’s a link between the body’s balance system and the hormones that increase in the body when you’re stressed. And that connection seems to go both ways. 

If something in the inner ear or the brain causes vertigo, stress hormones increase. But stress hormones can also rise when you’re stressed or anxious about something else. This can affect the function of the inner ear and nerve cells. For some people, that leads to a feeling of vertigo.

Of course, there are different kinds of stress. A stress response to danger is usually short lived and helps keep you out of harm’s way. But when stress becomes chronic, hormone messages aren’t always sent or received in the usual way. This can happen with repeated exposure to a stressful situation. Or it can occur if you’re always worried, with conditions like anxiety disorders.

Although it’s not clear why, chronic stress or anxiety provokes vertigo in some people. In one large study, people with an anxiety disorder had more than twice the risk of experiencing BPPV.

Can stress cause other kinds of dizziness?

Stress, worry, or anxiety may cause other kinds of dizziness. It might feel more like lightheadedness than spinning. One form of this is chronic subjective dizziness — a vague feeling of imbalance. It happens more often in people with anxiety and in places where your senses have to take in a lot of information.

Hyperventilation is another cause of dizziness that can go along with stress. Hyperventilation means you’re breathing too fast. It can be a natural response to fear, worry, or panic. If you breathe too fast or too deep, it can leave you feeling lightheaded or like you’re going to faint. 

Can stress about vertigo trigger more symptoms?

Many symptoms result from a back-and-forth conversation between the brain and the body. Some people first experience vertigo because of an acute or short-lived condition. But vertigo often results in physical and mental distress. 

So people may become anxious about situations that have triggered it in the past. When this becomes a cycle, vertigo can last longer or happen more often.

What can help with stress-related vertigo?

Vertigo is just one symptom that can occur with chronic stress and anxiety. So learning a few stress management techniques can help with vertigo and your overall well-being. Mental health experts recommend habits such as:

• Getting enough sleep

• Practicing meditation and mindfulness

• Making sure you get good nutrition and exercise

• Spending time in nature

• Surrounding yourself with supportive people

• Changing your thinking about a stressor if you can’t avoid it

• Getting professional help when you need it

During an acute episode of vertigo, there are some things you can do in the moment to help with symptoms:

• Lie down in a quiet, dark room if possible.

• Use a walking stick or other support to keep from falling.

• Sleep with your head raised on pillows.

• Take your time changing positions.

• Try a medication to help with sensations of spinning and nausea.

If you experience vertigo often, vestibular rehabilitation may help. These are exercises that help train the body to regain its sense of balance. And if you feel very anxious with your vertigo, a mental health provider or medications to treat anxiety can be beneficial.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Anne Jacobson, MD, MPH

Anne Jacobson, MD, MPH has been a board-certified family physician since 1999. She worked as a full-scope family physician (inpatient, outpatient, obstetrics, and office procedures) in the Cook County Ambulatory Health Network for 15 years.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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