Question: Do older people get dizzier quicker than younger people? Francis St CBS Dublin

Sive Finlay answered on 15 Nov 2013:

Hey,
In general yes but there can be lots of different reasons why.
We get dizzy when we spin because our body’s balance system is all mixed up. For balance rely on small, fluid-filled canals in our inner ears. The position of the fluid in the canals is detected by tiny hairs which send signals to our brain to tell us which way is up. When we spin all the fluid sloshes around and we lose our orientation so we get dizzy (trying to fix your eyes on one point helps to retain a sense of orientation – that’s why dancers and figure skaters are taught to spot for their turns). All parts of our body deteriorate with age, including the inner ear so older people tend to get dizzier more quickly and recover more slowly than younger people.
But we don’t just get dizzy when we spin. Being light-headed can also make us feel dizzy. This is caused by a brief lack of oxygenated blood supply to the brain. Many older people are prone to low blood pressure (because their heart may not beat as strong but also for lots of other reasons) so sometimes they can have problems with pumping enough blood to the brain, especially if they stand up quickly.
So do as much spinning as you can when you’re young!
Sive