Dizziness when lying on your back is most commonly caused by a condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV occurs when tiny calcium crystals within the inner ear become dislodged and move into parts of the ear responsible for detecting head motion. This causes the ear to send false signals to the brain, making you feel like you or the room is spinning, especially during movements like lying down, rolling over in bed, or looking up. Key points about BPPV and dizziness when lying down:
- Symptoms often include brief episodes of intense vertigo (spinning sensation) lasting less than a minute.
- The vertigo is typically triggered by changes in head position relative to gravity, such as lying down, sitting up, or turning over.
- Other associated symptoms may include imbalance, nausea, and difficulty walking.
- BPPV is usually not serious and is often easily treatable by specialists.
- Causes for BPPV include aging, head injury, inner ear infections, and other inner ear problems.
Other less common causes of dizziness when lying down can include migraine, Ménière’s disease, head injuries, ear infections, inflammation, or fluid buildup in the ear. To reduce dizziness caused by BPPV during sleep, it is often recommended to move slowly when changing positions and to sleep with the head elevated and the unaffected ear facing down. If dizziness when lying down is persistent or accompanied by other symptoms such as hearing loss, difficulty speaking, or numbness, it is important to seek medical attention to rule out more serious conditions.
