Although sit-ups are a good exercise to strengthen your body, they may not be everyone’s favorite exercise. Still, they generally shouldn’t make you nauseous when you do them. If you have a stomach ache or feel the urge to vomit during or after a set of sit-ups, it could be due to a variety of reasons. Here’s what could be causing your nausea.
Dehydration
If you’ve heard people stressing the need to stay hydrated, especially during exercise, there’s an important reason. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that for every hour of sports or physical activity, people can lose up to 2 liters (or about 2 liters) of water. Fluid loss may also increase if you do endurance activities like sit-ups, push-ups, and running.
However, unless you have done hundreds of sit-ups in a humid environment, it is unlikely that sit-ups alone will cause this degree of fluid loss. But if you’re engaged in a long, intense workout that includes sit-ups, it’s important to have a water bottle on hand and keep your body well hydrated. Without drinking enough water, you increase your risk of developing dehydration, which can cause nausea (among other symptoms), according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The amount of water you should drink varies from person to person. Harvard Health Publishing notes that factors such as your weight, age, activity level, local temperature, medication use, and general health can all influence how much water you need. However, on average, the recommended daily water intake is around 15.5 cups of water for men and 11.5 cups of water for women.
The American Council on Exercise also recommends drinking 17 to 20 ounces (oz) of water a few hours before your workout and about 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes of exercise. Numbers aside, don’t feel the need to worry too much about drinking the exact amount of ounces. Everyone’s body is different and you know your needs best. The important thing is to stay well hydrated throughout the day and keep water with you when traveling and during workouts to avoid side effects like nausea.
Heat Exhaustion
According to StatPearls, a normal body temperature can vary, anywhere from 97 degrees Fahrenheit (F) to 99 degrees F. However, when you perform an intense workout, your body temperature can temporarily rise up to 104 degrees F. Most people regain their body temperature by sweating, which is a process that helps the body cool down, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
However, factors such as working out in hot or humid climates or being dehydrated can prevent your body from sweating. Lack of sweating can prevent your body from releasing excess heat and increase your risk of developing heat exhaustion, according to MedlinePlus. And if you experience exercise-related heat exhaustion, you may experience symptoms like nausea, fainting, and dizziness, notes Johns Hopkins Medicine.
To avoid heat exhaustion, drink plenty of water during your workout, exercise during the cooler hours of the day, wear loose-fitting clothing, and take a break if you exercise in a hot or humid climate.
High-intensity exercise
Although exercise is often good for the gut and overall health, in some cases high-intensity workouts can cause unexpected side effects like nausea. A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology looked at how exercise affects the gut. Researchers have found that while moderate-intensity exercise (like yoga and walking) can improve bowel function and reduce intestinal inflammation, high-intensity workouts and prolonged exercise can cause nausea or abdominal pain due to decreased blood flow to the abdominal organs.
Sit-ups by themselves are not high-intensity exercise, but if they are part of a fitness routine like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), you may be more likely to develop gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea. This doesn’t mean stopping doing HIIT workouts or sit-ups. Instead, listen to your body, avoid overexerting yourself and drink plenty of water to avoid nausea.
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