When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn 
What is Cybersickness?
Cybersickness is a condition that people can experience with prolonged use of computers, smartphones, tablets, TVs, or other digital screens. It can occur when scrolling on a smartphone or computer or viewing a screen that another person is in control of scrolling, such as in a meeting presentation.
Symptoms, such as feeling nauseous and dizzy out of nowhere, can last for minutes, several hours, or even days after the sufferer has stopped looking at the screen.
Key Takeaways
- Prolonged use of digital screens for scrolling or displaying fast-moving images can result in cybersickness.
- Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, headaches, and disorientation, which are said to be caused by a mismatch between visual and physical signals to the brain.
- Cybersickness feels similar to motion sickness, however cybersickness occurs from exposure to visual movement rather than physical motion.
- Prevention methods and remedies include taking regular breaks from screen time, adjusting screen settings, and using techniques like deep breathing to manage symptoms.
- With society’s growing use of digital screens for work, education, and recreation – from social media to gaming to binge-watching TV shows – cybersickness is becoming an increasingly common problem.
- Show Full Guide
Cybersickness, Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality
Cybersickness tends to be more intense with the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies than it is when scrolling on a device.
VR immerses the user in an immersive 3D environment, using headsets that position a small screen over each eye. This blocks the user’s view of the real world, creating a disconnect between what they are seeing and the motion their body experiences in their physical environment.
For instance, a player in a VR game may sit or stand while experiencing fast-paced action, which can be disorienting and trigger cybersickness.
Meanwhile, AR projects simulated elements onto the real-world environment, so users can still see their physical surroundings. But this can also cause eye strain as the brain attempts to reconcile the on-screen motion with the body’s movement and adjust eye position.
Research suggests that VR exposure typically results in more disorientation than nausea and eye strain symptoms, whereas AR use tends to result in more eye strain than disorientation and nausea. Studies have also found that as many as 40% to 70% of people experience some form of cybersickness when using VR or AR, also known as extended reality (XR).
The increased adoption of VR and AR in the workplace, training, education, and entertainment over the coming years could result in a rise in cybersickness. People who are prone to motion sickness are likely to experience cybersickness that could prevent them from being able to use the technology.
15 Cybersickness Symptoms
The effects of cybersickness are similar to motion sickness, affecting individuals in different ways.
Symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Flushing
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Vertigo
- Disorientation
- Eye strain
- Dry or irritated eyes
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Migraine
- Shoulder, neck, and back pain
- Fatigue
What Causes Cybersickness?
Researchers are not entirely sure why some people suffer from varying levels of cybersickness, but the widespread theory is that cybersickness is caused by contradictions in the sensory input from the eyes, inner ear (related to head movement and balance), and the rest of the body.
As the information that the eyes receive indicates different movements to the information received from the body, the brain struggles to reconcile the mismatch in inputs and regulate vision and balance – causing the nausea, dizziness and other symptoms of cybersickness.
For example, certain images can trigger cybersickness if the background is static while there is movement in the foreground.
Factors that can exacerbate cybersickness include:
- Prolonged screen time
- Rapid or unpredictable movement in the visual field
- Lack of control over the digital environment
- Lag in visual feedback
- Individual sensitivity
- Certain medical conditions e.g. migraine, concussion
Cybersickness vs. Motion Sickness
Cybersickness is similar to motion sickness in being triggered by conflicting sensory signals, and there is an overlap in the symptoms such as lightheadedness and nausea. But the key difference is that motion sickness is caused by physical movement, such as traveling in a vehicle. The inner ear can detect motion, but the eyes cannot see it. Cybersickness is the opposite – the eyes detect motion, but the body cannot feel it.
While motion sickness occurs in real life, cybersickness occurs in digital environments. In both cases, focusing on a steady object can help to resolve the sensory mismatch.
In the same way that some people are more likely than others to experience motion sickness, some people are more likely to suffer from cybersickness.
What are Cybersickness Glasses?
There are specialized types of eyewear designed to reduce the symptoms of motion sickness and digital screen exposure that could potentially help with cybersickness symptoms.
Anti-motion sickness glasses have four rims filled partially with blue liquid rather than lenses. This liquid moves as the vehicle does, readjusting the wearer’s eyes with their balance. There is a lack of research, but anecdotal evidence suggests they work for some people.
There are also blue-light glasses – which are designed to minimize eye strain by filtering the blue light emitted from digital screens – although there are conflicting views on their effectiveness.
How to Prevent Cybersickness
Prevention is better than cure, and it is easier to avoid developing cybersickness symptoms than to suffer until they subside.
These steps can help:
- Limit screen time
- Take frequent breaks to refocus your eyes
- Get up to stretch/change position
- Maintain good posture
- Avoid using multiple screens simultaneously
- Adjust screen settings to reduce eye strain
- Avoid flashing imagery
- Scroll slowly
- Avoid heavy meals before prolonged device use
- Avoid using screens in poorly ventilated rooms or moving vehicles
- Use a high-quality headset with smooth visuals for VR
- Do not use VR if you suffer from motion sickness
Cybersickness Remedies
If you do start experiencing symptoms, there are things you can do:
- Step away from the screen
- Look at a stationary object
- Adjust your posture to minimize strain
- Take long, deep breaths to calm the nausea
- Drink water to stay hydrated and calm your system
- Lie down to help stabilize your senses
- Take over-the-counter medication for motion sickness, headaches, or nausea
If your symptoms are frequent or intense, you may need to see a doctor for further treatment.
The Bottom Line
Cybersickness, by definition, is a feeling of discomfort or illness that people can experience when using screens to interact with digital environments. It has similar symptoms to motion sickness, such as dizziness and nausea, but it is triggered by sensory mismatches resulting from digital experiences rather than physical movement.
Cybersickness can be prevented and managed by reducing screen time, adjusting display settings, maintaining good posture, and taking regular breaks.
