Waking up every morning feeling slightly sick/nauseous

[hans030390]

This has been going on for at least a couple months now. I usually have this happen once or twice a year for a period of 1-2 weeks. Basically, I'll wake up in the morning for classes (after getting anywhere from 6-8 hours of sleep). Normally I'd be able to eat a bowl of cereal. But, for some reason, I've been having an upset stomach almost every morning now. It's not THAT bad...just bad enough that if I eat, I feel much worse. It is almost like being mildly nauseous.

Usually this subsides within 1 to 4 hours (but averaging maybe 2). After that, I'm usually good to eat and such. I might still feel a bit odd, but nothing too bad. On the weekends, I usually don't notice much of a problem.

I noticed over Christmas break that I didn't have these problems. Of course, I'd be going to bed rather late (2-4 AM) and wake up rather late (noon to 2 PM). I usually never averaged more than 8-9 hours of sleep (10 at the most). I actually felt pretty normal over break.

I'm just wondering what this might be. I've read it could be stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, or more serious issues. Previously, it's always been stress. I was pretty stressed last semester, but this problem started right back up as soon as I moved back in after break. I'm not even stressed now...classes have JUST started. Things are generally going well in my life as well.

It does seem there is some correlation with the amount of sleep I get, but not always. I TRY to get enough sleep...but, being a student, that's hard to do most of the time. I am just trying to think of other possibilities, as sometimes a good night's rest still results in problems. I also have gone my whole life (including last year, first year of college) without having these issues IF they're related to a lack of sleep.

Of course, if this continues for much longer, I'll probably see a doctor. But, hey, if I can figure something out for now, that'd be great.

 

[MotF Bane]

I have the same issue, started during senior year at H.S., still ongoing (two years later). Sleeping late prevents the problem. Ultimately, I've given up breakfast on most occasions, and try to sleep in as late as possible. If I need to be up early (7AM job), it's a donut, one slice of toast, something very light. Orange juice used to be a staple; now it's a rarity, it makes everything worse. I've yet to find a solution, or the cause for that matter.

 

[fleshconsumed]

What are you eating the night before? I can feel kind of the same if I eat junk food the day before, especially in the evening. I don't eat a lot of junk food, but on New Year's Eve I ate some m&m's, chips & dips and peanuts, not a whole lot, just a little bit of each, and I still felt horrible in the morning. I usually feel a lot better if I eat light food in the evening, veggies, fruits, or a salad.

 

[Kipper]

What are you eating the night before? I can feel kind of the same if I eat junk food the day before, especially in the evening. I don't eat a lot of junk food, but on New Year's Eve I ate some m&m's, chips & dips and peanuts, not a whole lot, just a little bit of each, and I still felt horrible in the morning. I usually feel a lot better if I eat light food in the evening, veggies, fruits, or a salad.

Good point. The junk food would fit pretty well with the stress part of the story.

 

[hans030390]

What are you eating the night before? I can feel kind of the same if I eat junk food the day before, especially in the evening. I don't eat a lot of junk food, but on New Year's Eve I ate some m&m's, chips & dips and peanuts, not a whole lot, just a little bit of each, and I still felt horrible in the morning. I usually feel a lot better if I eat light food in the evening, veggies, fruits, or a salad.

I try not to eat the night before. If I do, it's usually more than 2-3 hours before I go to bed...and it's usually something like a bowl of cereal. I don't tend to eat much junk food.

However, eating before bed or not makes no difference. I've gone my whole life usually eating a bowl of cereal before bed. Sometimes I eat one if I can't sleep. If I'm going to feel fine in the morning, I know that eating before bed usually doesn't hurt (unless it IS junk food).

 

[gar655]

Easy, you're pregant.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I try not to eat the night before. If I do, it's usually more than 2-3 hours before I go to bed...and it's usually something like a bowl of cereal. I don't tend to eat much junk food.

However, eating before bed or not makes no difference. I've gone my whole life usually eating a bowl of cereal before bed. Sometimes I eat one if I can't sleep. If I'm going to feel fine in the morning, I know that eating before bed usually doesn't hurt (unless it IS junk food).

Maybe you're just not a "breakfast" person. To be honest, I'm not either. I usually have a cup of tea when I wake up, but I do not eat breakfast because I'm not really hungry. I wake up at 6 and arrive at work around 7. I do not get hungry until about 9-ish give or take 30 minutes. So I usually pack mini-breakfast in addition to lunch. It can be anything as simple as an apple or a sandwich. You could do something like that as well, have breakfast when you do get hungry and then have real lunch around noon.

 

[hans030390]

Easy, you're pregant.

...How is babby formed?

Maybe you're just not a "breakfast" person. To be honest, I'm not either. I usually have a cup of tea when I wake up, but I do not eat breakfast because I'm not really hungry. I wake up at 6 and arrive at work around 7. I do not get hungry until about 9-ish give or take 30 minutes. So I usually pack mini-breakfast in addition to lunch. It can be anything as simple as an apple or a sandwich. You could do something like that as well, have breakfast when you do get hungry and then have real lunch around noon.

See, I've always been a breakfast person. Usually when I feel like this, it lasts maybe a week due to stress. But this has been going on much longer. I don't know why my body would all of a sudden decide to not want breakfast (in a sickly manner).

 

[Whisper]

Are you experiencing any symptoms other than upset stomach? Chronic stress/anxiety--which generally results in subsequent chronic over-activation of your autonomic nervous system--can lead to all sorts of digestive issues, such as diarrhea and upset stomach.

Are your resting heart and respiration rates higher now than they were during the break? It's possible that simply being in your school environment (i.e., in your dorm/apartment and around campus rather than at home), even without noticeable external stressors present, has become a conditioned stimulus that results in physiological arousal.

 

[hans030390]

Are you experiencing any symptoms other than upset stomach? Chronic stress/anxiety--which generally results in subsequent chronic over-activation of your autonomic nervous system--can lead to all sorts of digestive issues, such as diarrhea and upset stomach.

Are your resting heart and respiration rates higher now than they were during the break? It's possible that simply being in your school environment (i.e., in your dorm/apartment and around campus rather than at home), even without noticeable external stressors present, has become a conditioned stimulus that results in physiological arousal.

No other symptoms that I've noticed. It could be a psychological trigger of sorts.

 

[Whisper]

No other symptoms that I've noticed. It could be a psychological trigger of sorts.

Could indeed be, yep. Conversely, it could be something entirely medical, or entirely diet-based. I figure the type of cereal that you eat at night hasn't really changed much, but try and look at other dietary changes between now and back when you were at home/feeling ok.

Actually, just extrapolate that to pretty much all aspects of your life (which I'm sure you've already started doing)--do your best to think of any and all lifestyle changes that occurred around the time of initial nausea onset. It's possible there's been some change that you made without paying it much attention. Then again, it's also possible that some sort of metabolic condition has sprung up, so if you have a family doc, it probably wouldn't hurt to ask his/her opinion as well.

 

[hans030390]

My diet hasn't really changed, though I've mostly stopped eating at night (after dinner...this includes the cereal). It doesn't really make a difference if I do or don't, but I figure it's safer if I don't eat too soon before bed.

As for when it came up, I think I was just stressed at the time (homework, bad roommate, etc). But, then again, when it came about, I actually did feel very sick at the time. It just died down and has stayed stable with what I wake up with now.

But what if it's related to sleep? Outside of psychological possibilities, why am I fine at home? There, I get more sleep on average (8-10 avg vs 6-8 avg), but my sleeping schedule is all kinds of screwed up (going to bed at 4am, waking up at 1pm, etc). What might be causing a difference from just sleep patterns?

 

[piasabird]

Maybe try some yogurt. I recently got out of the hospital and they gave told me to take some Florastor. It is suppose to help with intestinal flora (Good Bacteria). If you take a lot of antibiotics you can kill off the good stomach bacteria. Technically this is a food supplement. Remember those activia commercials?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

i feel nauseated if i dont get enough sleep, which for me is <7hrs

it was worse when i was younger (hs & college years), better now that I am a bit past that.

i also get + loss of appetite it if i am depressed

 

[hans030390]

i feel nauseated if i dont get enough sleep, which for me is <7hrs

it was worse when i was younger (hs & college years), better now that I am a bit past that.

i also get + loss of appetite it if i am depressed

Yeah, it's looking likely to be sleep related. I'm just wondering why/how it happens.

 

[StageLeft]

I get this often, a light headache not enough to be too damaging but it's irritating and enough I'll sometimes skip a workout (like I need any more excuses). I'm sitting with a mild one now actually. Generally they wear out quite quickly, though, sometimes even within just 10 minutes or 15 minutes. In my case I believe it's mostly or entirely diet related, whether it's artificial sweeteners or too much caffeine or whatever. I also find that if I eat a lot of food and a lot of junk and sugar I quite regularly wake up feeling hungover as if I had drank alcohol despite not consuming any the night before. I call these insulin headaches. I made that term up but I really do get headaches if I eat too much food. I am otherwise asymptomatic and recently had blood work for a separate issue and it all looks good.

 

[exar333]

Easy, you're pregant.

+1.

Get this checked out.

 

[Samus]

"Maybe try some yogurt. I recently got out of the hospital and they gave told me to take some Florastor. It is suppose to help with intestinal flora (Good Bacteria). "

My chiropractor gave me florastor awhile back and I remember having pretty good results with it. Originally he gave it to me for acne on my forehead, which it DID infact help oddly, but it also made me feel overall less bloated in the morning.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

"Maybe try some yogurt. I recently got out of the hospital and they gave told me to take some Florastor. It is suppose to help with intestinal flora (Good Bacteria). "

My chiropractor gave me florastor awhile back and I remember having pretty good results with it. Originally he gave it to me for acne on my forehead, which it DID infact help oddly, but it also made me feel overall less bloated in the morning.

That seems to be a treating the symptoms rather than treating the condition. This kind of feeling is frequently an anxiety issue and should be treated as such. If the OP can decrease his stress levels, there are guaranteed improvements to be had. I wouldn't suggest taking a medication before trying stress management.