Morning vomiting can be caused by pregnancy, acid reflux, or an empty stomach. See a doctor if it persists.
Common causes
- Pregnancy (morning sickness).
- Acid reflux.
- Empty stomach.
- Alcohol the night before.
- Gastritis.
- Anxiety.
- Migraine.
- Sinus drainage.
What helps
Eat a plain cracker before rising. Small meals.
Pregnancy test
Take one if you might be pregnant.
See a doctor
If vomiting is frequent, has blood or lasts over a week.
Common causes
Morning vomiting has many causes. Pregnancy is the classic one, with nausea and vomiting in about 70 percent of pregnancies, often beginning at 4 to 9 weeks. Other causes include acid reflux, gastritis, alcohol use, medication taken on an empty stomach, migraine, increased intracranial pressure, anxiety and cyclic vomiting syndrome.
- Early pregnancy hormones (hCG) peak at weeks 8 to 11.
- A fasting stomach with bile or acid can trigger vomiting.
- Sinus drainage during sleep can cause nausea.
What to do
Take a pregnancy test if a period is late. Eat a few crackers before getting up, avoid strong smells and eat small meals. See a doctor if vomiting is repeated for more than a few days, comes with weight loss or severe headache, vision changes or neurological symptoms, which can signal raised pressure in the head. Seek emergency care for blood in vomit, severe abdominal pain or inability to keep fluids down.
Common causes
Morning vomiting may be due to pregnancy, acid reflux, an empty stomach, alcohol the night before, migraines, sinus drainage, medications or anxiety. Intracranial pressure can also cause morning vomiting with headache, so persistent cases need evaluation.
What to do
Eat small meals, avoid triggers, take a pregnancy test if relevant and see a doctor if it persists for more than a week or comes with severe headache.
Morning specific mechanisms
Empty stomach acid and bile can irritate the stomach lining. Pregnancy morning sickness peaks at weeks 8 to 10. Drinking alcohol in the evening causes gastritis. Sinus drainage overnight can trigger gagging. Raised intracranial pressure causes morning vomiting with headache and needs urgent evaluation.
Evaluation and care
Eat a small snack, such as crackers, before getting out of bed. Avoid late heavy meals and alcohol. A pregnancy test is simple. Call a doctor if vomiting lasts over a week, includes blood, weight loss or severe abdominal pain. Anxiety and cyclic vomiting syndrome can also present in the morning.
Based on data from the Mayo Clinic and the American College of Gastroenterology
