Cybersickness: What It Is, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

• Nausea is an early sign. It may get worse or even escalate to vomiting.
• Looking at a screen for long periods may cause dizziness. You may feel lightheaded or like the room is spinning. It’s difficult to concentrate.
• Staring at screens all day can be a big strain on the eyes, causing dryness, irritation, and blurry vision.
• You might develop neck and shoulder strain from sitting in the same position too long, leading to a headache.

Cybersickness is caused by a mismatch in sensory input involving the:

• visual system (what your eyes tell your brain)
• vestibular system (what your inner ear senses regarding head movement and balance)
• proprioceptive system (what sensory receptors throughout your body feel)

When you look at a screen, your eyes signal your brain that there’s a lot of movement. But your vestibular and proprioceptive systems tell your brain that all is steady.

It can make you lightheaded and sick to your stomach.

Prevention is key. These tips may help:

• Reduce screen time.
• Rest your eyes; stretch and change positions.
• Focus on a stable object other than the screen.
• Avoid using multiple screens.
• Pick audio over video.
• Choose audio or printed books over eBooks.
• Send handwritten notes instead of emails.
• Slow down when you scroll.
• Avoid bright, flashy displays.
• Don’t eat a heavy meal before long periods of screen time.
• Keep the room well-ventilated and odor-free.
• Avoid screens when in a moving vehicle.