Feeling exhausted and blacking out for a second?

Quick question—lately I’ve been getting this weird sensation where it feels like I black out for a split second... like I'm just falling, and then suddenly I'm back and everything seems totally fine.
Is this just me being exhausted, or should I actually go see a doctor about it?????

Is this happening while they sleep, or what...?

melloworca6 said:Was this during a dream or what...?

nahhh—was at work, just sitting in my car at a red light

Look, I honestly think you should just go see a doctor.

How’s your sleep holding up lately since this started—less frequent, or just different quality? And how often is this actually happening?

I’m in terrible shape; I haven't done anything active in quite some time. Yesterday I played a game of soccer, and recently I went hiking—both times, during moments of intense exertion like sprinting, dribbling, or a quick scramble up a slope, I lost coordination in my legs and felt a momentary lapse in consciousness. I had to stop immediately to catch my breath and steady myself, as I felt I might have actually collapsed if I hadn't. Once I slowed down, things settled. I’ve also started running again lately, but this hasn't happened then, likely because I maintain a steady pace rather than these sudden bursts of intensity.

Should I be genuinely concerned, or is this just what happens when you spend an entire year sitting at a desk all day?

Kyle James30 said:I’m in pretty rough shape right now since I haven't done anything active in ages. Yesterday I played some soccer, and just recently I went hiking—both times, when I hit a high-intensity moment like sprinting, dribbling, or a steep climb, my legs just sort of lost their coordination and I felt this lightheadedness, almost like I was about to pass out. I had to stop and wait for it to pass because I honestly felt like I might have collapsed otherwise. Once I slowed down, things settled back to normal. I’ve tried jogging lately too, but that hasn't triggered it; it's mostly just during those sudden bursts of intensity.

Should I be genuinely worried, or is this just what happens when you spend an entire year basically glued to a desk chair?

It sounds like you're most likely dealing with the fallout from being inactive for a long stretch.
Basically, your autonomic nervous system has kind of "forgotten" how to pivot and adapt quickly when you suddenly throw extreme physical demands at it after being sedentary for so long.

If you start easing back into exercise gradually and don't try to redline everything immediately, you'll probably be just fine.👍

That said, if this starts happening even during low-intensity stuff, you should definitely go see a doctor. It would make sense to get checked out to see how your autonomic system is handling things—maybe start with standard blood work and then move on to things like a Holter monitor, an EKG, or maybe even a tilt-table test just to be safe.

Here is an update. For about three weeks now, these episodes have been occurring even when I’m just resting. It’s this fleeting sensation of being "displaced" from space—as if I might stumble if I were standing, or lose my footing the moment I step into a dark room. My vision doesn't go dark, and once the sensation passes, my balance seems perfectly fine. It lasts maybe a second, then it's gone. No headaches, either; I’ve been running regularly lately and can handle a thirty-minute jog without any issues. On the other hand, there is this persistent tension and pressure around my neck. If I rotate my head a few times to stretch it out—which results in some audible cracking—I get dizzy. During a recent massage for my neck and shoulders, I actually broke into a cold sweat and turned pale as a sheet, though I felt better afterward. I also occasionally feel pressure around my eyes; it feels connected.

Anyway, I’m at a loss as to where to begin with diagnostics or treatment. My primary care physician is somewhat dismissive, essentially telling me nothing is wrong. My blood work came back mostly clear, though my cholesterol is slightly high and my ALP levels are low. Should I push for more intensive medical testing, or should I see a physical therapist first?

Look, you need to go get a neurological workup done ASAP. A neurologist is going to be the one to decide if you actually need a CT scan or an MRI, but honestly? It’s pretty obvious your circulation in those neck arteries is compromised. You can't just ignore that. And just so we're clear on how this works, a physiatrist isn't just making stuff up—they're following the specific protocols and imaging results provided by a nuclear medicine specialist or a radiologist. It's a whole process.

Kyle James30 said:So, here’s the latest update on this whole mess. It started happening even when I’m just chilling out—it's been going on for about three weeks now. It’s this weird sensation of being briefly disconnected from reality, like I’m "out of space," or feeling like I might stumble if I'm standing up. If I step into a dark room, it's like I lose my center of gravity for a second. My vision doesn't actually go dark, though, and once the episode passes, if I test my balance, everything seems fine. It only lasts maybe a second before vanishing. No headaches either, and since I've been into running lately, I can still knock out a solid thirty-minute jog without an issue. On the flip side, there's this constant pressure and tension right in my neck area, and if I rotate my head three or four times to really stretch it out—you know, where you can hear that cracking sound—I get dizzy. During a quick massage for my neck and shoulders recently, I actually broke out in a sweat and turned pale as a ghost, though I felt a bit better afterward. I also get this occasional pressure around my eyes; feels like it's all connected.

Anyway, I'm stuck on where to even start with testing or treatment. My doctor is being pretty dismissive, basically telling me it's nothing. I had some blood work done and everything looks okay, except my cholesterol is a little high and my ALP (alkaline phosphatase) is low. Should I push for more medical diagnostics, or maybe see a physical therapist first?

It definitely makes sense to see a neurologist, and maybe a physical therapist too.
Just follow up based on what the clinical symptoms show.
Whatever you do, stay away from aggressive neck manipulations—that kind of stuff can end badly real quick.
Is your alkaline phosphatase super low?
Hmm, if you want to keep it simple, that level can reflect bone metabolic activity (maybe diet? osteopenia, like early-stage osteoporosis?)

My ALP is currently at 49 (ref. 60 - 142). Does anyone have a recommendation for a private physiotherapist or perhaps someone specializing in medical neck massage? I’m hoping to try some manual therapy first to see if it provides relief before I commit to the wait times for a CT or MRI scan.