Someone Fainted? Here Is Why And What To Do

Last Updated on April 3, 2021

Has someone fainted next to you before? It usually happens so fast; you don’t even have enough time to process what’s happening. The most important thing to do at that moment is to stay calm, understand the reasons, and do the right things to help them get conscious. Most of the time, fainting is not a sign of a serious health issue, but it’s important to acknowledge why it happens. We have collected all the reasons that may lead any person to lose consciousness and what you should do. Keep reading for more.

1. What causes someone to faint? 

There are many reasons why any person would faint: 

• Hyperventilation: breathing rapidly causes a lack of carbon dioxide in the blood, and it can happen when someone is stressed, in a sock, or has anxiety disorders.
• Low blood sugar: due to several reasons, low blood sugar levels can cause loss of consciousness.
• Pregnancy:  the body needs more fluid during pregnancy, so it’s easy for a woman to become dehydrated. Plus, the uterus’s growth may block larger blood vessels, which decreases the amount of blood that goes to the brain.
• Anemia: this health condition means you have fewer red blood cells than usual, which will decrease the amount of oxygen in your blood that reaches your brain. 
• Emotional stress: sudden shock, fright, pain, or anxiety can affect the nervous system of the body and cause a drop in blood pressure, leading to fainting.
• Other physical triggers: working out in high temperatures, being in poorly ventilated rooms, staying too hungry or too dehydrated, standing up too quickly after being seated for a long time, etc.

2. How to tell if someone is about to faint

Imagine being somewhere, minding your own business, till you find someone fainted? Don’t you wonder if they showed any signs before it happens that could prepare anyone? Well, they are: 

• Feeling nauseous.
• Frequent yawning.
• Tightness in the chest.
• Complaints about feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
• Restlessness.
• Palpitations.
• Sweaty, colder, and paler-looking skin.

3. What to do when someone faints

If someone is about to faint (even if it was you), you should sit, lie down, or squat immediately. If you choose to sit, then put your head between the knees. All these positions will allow better blood flow to the brain because, at that moment, the heart is not working against gravity.