Have you ever sat up or stood too quickly — or pushed yourself too hard during a workout — and suddenly felt dizzy? Turns out, sex can similarly leave you feeling lightheaded and even nauseous [1].

While there are a number of reasons someone may feel dizzy after having sex [2] (certain medications, for example), a spike or drop in blood pressure is one of the most common culprits, Denise Moses [3], MD, FACOG, a board-certified ob-gyn in New York, told POPSUGAR. Dr. Moses explained that standing or suddenly changing positions during sex — from lying down to being on top, for instance — can affect blood flow to different areas of the body, thus altering your blood pressure.

She added that vertigo could be another cause of dizziness after sex. "Vertigo is a sensation that the room is spinning, or that there is a sense of swaying or tilting," Dr. Moses explained, which can worsen when you've been writhing around in bed [4]. Your breathing may also become rapid during sex, especially with orgasm [5]. This too can be a contributing factor to dizziness.

All of this to say, most causes of dizziness during or after sex aren't cause for concern. In fact, Dr. Moses noted that many of these side effects can also occur during exercise. If you notice yourself starting to feel dizzy, she recommends sitting up slowly, drinking water, and eating something easy on the stomach, like crackers. As always, if dizziness becomes recurrent or you're concerned that it could be a sign of an underlying condition, it's best to talk to your doctor.