Why does Yoga make me nauseous? Many new practitioners of yoga ask this question. Don’t worry; it is a very common feeling. In this article, we explore the reasons behind it.
Do you feel nauseous after doing Yoga? Then don’t worry, you are not the only one. Many people have come up with the question, Can I feel sick after doing yoga? The answer is yes.
We all know that yoga has various benefits, but at the same time, it might have a few negative effects on the body as well.
The major side effect of yoga is feeling nauseous after a session. It is a common problem that many people face, and many of them don’t know the right reason behind it.
Feeling sick after your yoga session is due to many factors like detoxification of the body, not having a proper meal before a session, and more. So here we will tell you in detail why do you feel nausea after yoga.
In this article, you will learn:
- What is Nausea?
- Reasons for Getting Sick after a Yoga session
- How to deal with nausea after a yoga class?
What is Nausea?
People get confused between the two terms – nausea and dizziness; before you learn why you feel nauseous after yoga, you must know what it is exactly.
Nausea is where you feel you are about to vomit. Nausea takes place due to inaccurate or excess pressure in the abdominal organs. In contrast, dizziness is when you feel faint, dizzy or light headed.
People might feel nauseous after yoga but do not usually get the feeling of dizziness. So if you feel dizzy after performing yoga or any other form of exercise, reach out for immediate medical help.
If a person is nauseous or dizzy to an extreme degree after yoga practice, consider it a red flag.
Reasons for getting sick after Yoga
You must be wondering what factors contribute to the feeling nauseous after a yoga practice, so here we go.
1. Hot Yoga
If you are practicing Hot Yoga, then you are pushing your body to an extreme level. As most hot yoga rooms have more than 80 degrees F temperature, stretching your muscles at such a temperature can lead to overheating of the body.
Intense yoga practice in such a stimulated environment will make you sweat profusely and release toxins from your body. This could make you feel sick. Heatstroke is a common factor that many yoga practitioners feel after their yoga practice for the first few days of their class. Eventually their bodies gets habitual to a certain heat level.
Many yoga practitioners have complained about feeling dizzy after a hot yoga session. The only reason behind it is excess sweating and a high degree of heat and humid conditions.
Remedy
If you think you are exerting your body beyond your limits, immediately stop the session and get some cool air. Never push your body to a level that it gets over-exhausted.
Also, it is important to keep your body hydrated while doing Hot Yoga as your body is losing more body moisture.
2. Incorrect Eating Ways
There could be two reasons: you ate too much or didn’t have a proper meal before starting your yoga practice.
When you have a large meal before your session, it is important to give enough time to your body to digest it, but if you start yoga before your foods is completely digested, you are putting pressure on the digestive system, which gives you feel nauseous.
If you have not eaten anything for a significant time before doing yoga, it could be a problem. Your body will struggle more, particularly if you are performing intense asanas, leading to low blood sugar levels and making you feel nauseous or even light headed.
Having a proper meal before yoga is as important as keeping your body healthy. However, ensure a minimum of 3 hours gap between having a full meal and your yoga practice. Many newbies fail to understand the importance of eating habits while doing Yoga, so they usually feel dizzy or nauseous because of it.
Remedy
Ensure you don’t eat too much or have a big meal 3 hours before a yoga session. Also, make sure you eat an apple or a light snack minimum one hour before your session.
3. Yoga Injuries
Yoga injuries or muscle pain is very common in yoga. Most common muscle injuries include the neck, back, and shoulders. This includes torn muscles while stretching or carpal tunnel. Such issues, in different degrees, occur in more than 90 people out of 100. There are many poses of yoga that, if not performed with complete understanding, can lead to injuries. The most common culprits here are Headstand (Shirshasana), Shoulder Stand (or Sarvangasana), Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana), Wheel Pose (Chakrasana) and a Yoga Full Split (Hanumanasana).
Remedy
If you are new to yoga or have some history of any injuries, it is important to tell your yoga instructor about the same. Try advanced yoga asanas under the supervision of a yoga teacher to avoid any muscle pain or injuries.
4. Internal Discomfort
If any of the above are not the reasons, the reason for feeling nauseous can be internal discomfort, where your liver or gallbladder can be full of toxins.
You must know that yoga is beneficial in removing the toxins from every organ of the body, so if you feel discomfort after doing yoga, this could be a reason.
This majorly happens with people who are regular alcohol drinkers or smokers. Also, people with a history of respiratory issues, faces some discomfort after yoga practice.
When you feel discomfort, you don’t have to worry. It could be a sign that your body has certain chemicals that need to be released. However, it is advised that you do not take it lightly and see your doctor if your discomfort persists or feels more than usual.
Remedy
The best way to deal with it is to let it go. Removing toxins from the body is necessary, but if you feel severe discomfort, then it is recommended to consult a doctor.
You might like to read: Can We Do Yoga After Breakfast?
Best Ways to Avoid Falling Sick After a Yoga Session
Here is a list of common ways that you must incorporate to have a better post-yoga experience:
- It is important to keep your body hydrated, whether you are doing Hot Yoga or normal yoga
- Ensure that your meals are well spaced before and after your practice
- If you are new to yoga, make sure you start with simple poses and don’t exert your body too much
- If you have any history of health issues, it is better to inform your yoga instructor in advance
More FAQs About Feeling Nauseous After Yoga
Why do I feel worse after Yoga?
As we stated above, there could be many reasons. These vary from the kind of yoga practice you performed, degree of intensity, how well hydrated and nourished your body was or any per-existing health concerns.
Why do I feel dizzy after Yoga?
Doing intense Yoga or Hot Yoga can make you feel dizzy after the practice.
Why does Hot Yoga make me Nauseous?
The most common reason is release of toxins from your body as you sweat. It is mostly true if your practice is high-intensity.
How do I stop Nausea from Hot Yoga?
If you feel discomfort, go to a cooler place, drink a lot of water, sit or lie down and focus on taking deep inhalations and exhalations while breathing.
You might like to read: Why Do I Yawn During Yoga?
Wrapping Up
While yoga has great benefits for your mental and physical health, you may feel some discomfort in the form of nausea or dizziness after performing yoga. There are multiple reasons for this, which are mentioned above. A strong word of advice would be to take it slow if you are a beginner, push yourself but know your limits and definitely see a doctor if you continue to feel uncomfortable.
Happy Yoga!