A Head That Keeps Spinning? It May Not Be Simple Anemia but 'Fatigue-Induced Dizziness'

Looking at this wisdom from the Donguibogam through modern medicine, dizziness upon waking in the morning can arise from causes beyond simple anemia. The most common are orthostatic hypotension and autonomic nervous system imbalance. When standing up suddenly from sitting or lying down, gravity causes blood to pool toward the legs. The autonomic nervous system must quickly raise the heart rate and constrict blood vessels to maintain a constant blood volume flowing to the brain. When the autonomic nervous system becomes exhausted and fails to function properly due to chronic stress, sleep deprivation, irregular meals, and excessive fatigue, blood supply to the brain momentarily falls short, causing dizziness. This condition is closely tied to the regulatory capacity of the vagus nerve. As the core of the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve regulates heart rate, digestive function, and the stress response. When vagus nerve activity decreases, the body becomes more vulnerable to stress, while blood pressure and heart rate regulation become unstable, leading to orthostatic dizziness more easily. Chronic inflammation and deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, vitamin B complex, and magnesium can worsen these symptoms. Modern lifestyle factors like excessive caffeine intake and prolonged smartphone use also keep the autonomic nervous system continuously heightened, adding to overall fatigue. If dizziness is severe, confirming the presence of orthostatic hypotension or other cardiovascular disease through blood tests or an electrocardiogram examination is important. However, when recurring dizziness occurs without a specific underlying disease, taking anemia medication alone rarely resolves it. One must evaluate whether overall bodily balance has broken down or if this is a warning signal from the autonomic nervous system, while improving resilience through foundational lifestyle changes. True to the concept of 'consumptive disease' in the Donguibogam, recovery begins by strengthening the body firmly from its roots.