Tired after fainting

After a brief loss of consciousness, you may feel weak, sleepy, dizzy, nauseated, or confused for a short time. Standing suddenly, heat, pain, emotional stress, dehydration, or low blood sugar can reduce blood flow to the brain. Fainting can also be linked with Anaemia or an abnormal heart rhythm such as Atrial Fibrillation. The event, what you felt beforehand, and how quickly you recovered help a clinician assess the cause.

Lie flat until you feel fully recovered, then sit up slowly and rise with support. Rest somewhere cool, loosen tight clothing, and take small sips of fluid if you are alert and able to swallow. Do not drive, climb, swim alone, or operate machinery until you have received appropriate advice. Write down the setting, posture, symptoms before the event, injuries, witness observations, and medicines. Arrange medical review after an unexplained faint, even if you feel better.

Call emergency services if the person is not waking, has trouble breathing, chest pain, a severe headache, new weakness, seizure-like movements, serious injury, ongoing confusion, or faints during exertion. Seek prompt assessment for repeated episodes, palpitations, fainting while lying down, pregnancy, known heart disease, or possible bleeding. Do not give food or drink to someone who is unconscious.

Ask whether you need heart rhythm checks, blood tests, or medication review. Tell the clinician about dehydration, missed meals, bleeding, palpitations, family heart history, injuries, and any witness account of the episode.