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The room spins. You grab something solid. It keeps spinning anyway.
Vertigo isn’t just dizziness. It’s the sensation that you or everything around you is rotating when nothing actually is. The most common cause is inner ear problems, specifically issues with the vestibular system that handles balance. About 40% of people over 40 experience it at least once.
1. Try the Epley Maneuver
This head repositioning sequence moves calcium crystals (yes, really) that get stuck in your inner ear canals. Sit on your bed, turn your head 45 degrees toward the affected ear, lie back quickly with your head hanging slightly off the edge, hold for 30 seconds. Turn your head 90 degrees to the opposite side, hold again. Roll onto your side in the direction you’re facing, hold, then sit up slowly.
It looks ridiculous and feels worse the first time. Works for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is the most common type.
2. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration affects the fluid balance in your inner ear. Drink water consistently throughout the day, not just when you’re thirsty. Your inner ear needs stable fluid levels to function properly.
3. Reduce Salt Intake
Excess sodium makes your body retain fluid unevenly, which can trigger vertigo episodes, especially if you have Meniere’s disease. Keep it under 2,000mg per day. Check labels. Processed food is loaded with it.
4. Avoid Sudden Head Movements
Move deliberately. Get out of bed in stages (sit first, then stand). Look before you turn your head. It feels like living in slow motion, but jerky movements trigger the spinning.
5. Use Ginger
Ginger helps with the nausea that comes with vertigo and may reduce the vertigo itself. Fresh ginger tea works better than capsules. Steep a thumb-sized piece of peeled, sliced ginger in hot water for 10 minutes.
6. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol
Both affect blood flow to your inner ear and can worsen symptoms. If you’re dealing with regular vertigo episodes, cut them out completely for two weeks and see what happens.
7. Practice Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises
These exercises retrain your brain to compensate for inner ear problems. Simple version: focus on an object while moving your head side to side, then up and down. Start slowly. Your brain gradually learns to use other signals for balance.
Physical therapists who specialize in vestibular disorders can design a specific program, but basic exercises you can find online help too.
8. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation makes vertigo worse. Seven to eight hours minimum. Your vestibular system doesn’t function well when you’re exhausted.
9. Manage Stress
Stress triggers vertigo episodes in some people, probably through muscle tension and changes in blood flow. Find what works for you. Deep breathing, walking, whatever actually relaxes you instead of what you think should.
10. Keep Your Living Space Safe
When vertigo hits, you need to not fall. Remove tripping hazards. Add grab bars in the bathroom. Keep a flashlight by your bed. Use non-slip mats. It’s unglamorous but falling during a vertigo episode is worse.
