Why Do Video Games Make Me Sick? Causes & Solutions
Understanding Motion Sickness in Video Games
A considerable number of individuals experience mild to intense nausea when engaging with first-person perspective video games. However, this adverse reaction isn't inevitable.
The following details explain the causes of this discomfort and outline strategies to mitigate its effects.
The Root of the Problem: Sensory Conflict
The primary reason for game-induced nausea lies in a sensory mismatch. Your eyes perceive motion, but your inner ear – responsible for balance – does not register corresponding physical movement.
This discrepancy creates confusion within the brain, leading to symptoms akin to traditional motion sickness, such as nausea, dizziness, and even vomiting.
Factors That Exacerbate the Issue
Several elements within a game can intensify these sensations. These include:
- Fast-Paced Movement: Rapid changes in perspective heighten the conflict between visual and vestibular input.
- Narrow Field of View: A restricted visual field can amplify the sensation of being enclosed and disoriented.
- Head Bobbing & Camera Shake: Artificial movements of the camera further contribute to the sensory disconnect.
- Low Frame Rates: Jerky visuals can worsen the mismatch and increase discomfort.
Strategies for Reducing Nausea
Fortunately, several approaches can help alleviate or prevent motion sickness while gaming.
- Adjust Game Settings: Increase the field of view (FOV) to broaden your visual perspective.
- Stabilize the Camera: Disable or reduce head bobbing and camera shake options.
- Increase Frame Rate: Aim for a consistently high frame rate to ensure smoother visuals.
- Take Frequent Breaks: Regular pauses allow your brain to recalibrate and reduce sensory overload.
- Use a Fan: The sensation of airflow can provide a grounding physical stimulus.
- Ginger Consumption: Some individuals find that consuming ginger can help settle their stomach.
By understanding the underlying causes and implementing these strategies, gamers can significantly reduce their susceptibility to motion sickness and enjoy a more comfortable gaming experience.
Why Do Video Games Cause Feelings of Illness?
Experiencing headaches or nausea while gaming isn't uncommon. Many players, including myself, have encountered game-induced symptoms over time. Numerous extended gaming sessions of Goldeneye on the Nintendo 64 during my youth concluded with a feeling akin to dismounting from a particularly intense roller coaster.
The prevalence of Goldeneye as a source of headaches and nausea is well-documented among gamers.
The Root of the Problem
What causes these symptoms? Certain video games trigger nausea, severe headaches, or vertigo in some individuals. Understanding why many video games induce these effects requires examining two distinct developmental trajectories: our own evolutionary history and the evolution of the games themselves.
The interaction between these two factors is central to explaining why the dynamic nature of modern games can make some people feel unwell.
Human Spatial Awareness
Humans possess a highly refined sense of spatial awareness. We are adept at determining our orientation – whether upright, prone, inverted, or undergoing movement like rolling or falling.
This ability stems from a continuous feedback loop involving our eyes, the fluid-filled inner ear, and our overall sensory system, providing precise knowledge of our physical position.
Cue Conflict and Nausea
However, a discrepancy between components of this feedback loop often results in moderate to severe nausea. As anyone who has been in a windowless cabin on a ship can attest, a mismatch between the inner ear's sensation of motion and the eyes' perception of stillness can lead to significant discomfort.
This phenomenon is technically known as "cue conflict". While the exact reason for this reaction remains unclear, the leading theory suggests that motion sickness mimics the effects of poisoning, prompting the body to initiate a purging response.
Video Games and Cue Conflict
How does this relate to video games? As games have become more sophisticated, they can now realistically simulate 3D character movement.
The first-person shooter (FPS) genre, exemplified by games like Half-Life and Halo, provides a prime example, offering a perspective through the character’s eyes.
During gameplay, you experience a reversal of the cruise ship scenario. Your body remains stationary, yet your eyes perceive movement due to the fast-paced 3D visuals on the screen.
This conflict between environmental cues, similar to the cruise ship experience, can trigger nausea in a substantial portion of the player base.
How to Mitigate Motion Sickness During Gameplay
What strategies can be employed to reduce the incidence of nausea while playing video games? Numerous approaches exist, primarily focused on minimizing discrepancies in sensory input.
This is conceptually similar to addressing conventional motion sickness. To illustrate, consider a cruise ship: if you experience discomfort inside the vessel, ascending to the deck and focusing on the horizon can provide relief. This realignment of sensory cues – feeling movement while visually perceiving a stable horizon – is key. While we cannot physically move your living room to match on-screen action, we can lessen the discord between your body and the game.
Adjusting the Field of View (FOV)
The field of view in your video game is a frequent contributor to nausea and headaches. This arises from a mismatch between the player’s actual field of view and the game’s in-game camera perspective.
Human vision encompasses approximately 180 degrees. Though peripheral vision lacks sharpness, it remains present and influences our reactions. However, televisions and computer monitors typically present games at a narrower angle.
Console games generally utilize a field of view around 60 degrees (or less), while PC games often employ a wider range of 80-100 degrees. This difference stems from assumed viewing distance. Console players typically sit further from the screen, resulting in a smaller perceived field of view.
PC gamers, conversely, usually sit closer to their monitors. To compensate for the larger portion of their vision occupied by the screen, developers often adjust the field of view to better align with the player’s perspective.
When the on-screen field of view significantly deviates from your real-world field of view, headaches and nausea can occur. This is common when playing a game with a low field of view (60 degrees or below) while seated close to the screen – a situation encountered by console players sitting too close, or when a console port lacks updated FOV settings.
Consider this example in Minecraft, where the pixelated graphics clearly demonstrate the effect of FOV distortion.
In the image above, the field of view is set to a very low 30 degrees, exaggerating the effect. This results in extreme tunnel vision and objects appearing closer than they should, with no peripheral vision.
Playing with such a narrow field of view is unpleasant (as enemies appear suddenly) and can easily induce nausea. Fortunately, most games do not feature such a restricted view, except perhaps when a character is impaired.
Here, the field of view is set to 60 degrees, common in console games. This view isn’t overly tight, but isn’t particularly wide either. If you primarily game on consoles, it may feel normal. However, depending on your distance from the screen, it may feel either comfortable or slightly constricted.
This screenshot displays a field of view of 85 degrees. Many PC gamers prefer 80-100 degrees for improved vision and realism. We chose 85 because it’s the point in Minecraft before the screen edges begin to distort. The optimal setting for your game may be 90 or 100 degrees.
Setting the field of view to 110 degrees demonstrates the distortion. While you see more of the game world, it’s excessive, creating a “fun house mirror” effect. Notice how objects at the edges appear warped. The ideal setting lies between these extremes.
Ideally, your game will offer a field of view adjustment in the video settings. If not, you may need to edit a config file. There’s no universally correct setting, but the closer you are to the screen, the higher the field of view should be. Think of the screen as a window: the closer you are, the more of the outside world you see. Your brain expects this, and a mismatch can cause physical symptoms.
A useful technique is to find a room-like location in the game and adjust the field of view until it feels natural. If the walls seem to close in, the field of view is too high. If you feel zoomed in or too close to objects, it’s too low.
If the game lacks field of view settings, adjust your distance from the screen accordingly.
Disable Camera Shake
Some games add realism with camera shake. This is often found in settings labeled “camera shake,” “view bobbing,” or “realistic camera.”
While enhancing realism, it can also cause motion sickness. A camera attached to a moving soldier would shake significantly, but viewing this movement while stationary is often unsettling.
Look for an option to disable this effect in your game’s settings.
Establish a Frame of Reference
The “go to the deck and stare at the horizon” strategy relies on a stable visual reference. You can recreate this with games by using both in-game and environmental techniques.
Don't game in complete darkness. This strains your eyes and removes environmental cues that help prevent motion sickness. Even dim lighting allows you to see objects like the screen’s edges or surrounding furniture.
During loading screens, look away from the screen and focus on objects in your room.
Additionally, focus on stable references within the game itself. Research suggests focusing on elements like a weapon in your character’s hand can help. Some games include a reticle or central point of reference; enable this if available.
If the game lacks such a feature, some gamers use temporary, non-adhesive dots on the screen. These are typically used for aiming, but can also provide a stable visual anchor.
Increase the Game’s Frame Rate
Choppy movement is visually distracting and can cause headaches. Your brain struggles with the disconnect between intended action and actual response.
Console gamers have limited options here. Some games allow reducing detail to increase frame rate, but most do not. PC games almost always offer graphics adjustments. Lowering graphics quality improves performance and smoothness.
Upgrading your PC’s hardware can also boost performance. A dedicated graphics card is a worthwhile investment if you’re using integrated graphics.
Focus on Your Own Screen
When playing split-screen multiplayer games, avoid looking at other players’ screens. Watching another player’s uncontrolled action is a surefire way to feel sick. The smaller screen size in split-screen also exacerbates field of view issues.
When playing split-screen, move closer to the screen to compensate for the reduced size. Then, focus solely on your portion of the screen.
Get Your Eyes Examined
I learned this lesson the hard way. For years, I experienced frequent headaches while using computers and playing games. Despite the discomfort, I continued because I enjoy both activities.
An eye exam in my 20s revealed a mild astigmatism. While not severe enough to require correction, the doctor explained it could contribute to headaches and depth perception issues. A mild prescription pair of glasses eliminated 99% of my computer-related headaches and gaming nausea. The discrepancy in visual clarity between my eyes was causing the problem.
If you suspect vision problems, get your eyes checked. Even a mild prescription can significantly improve your gaming experience.
Consider Motion Sickness Aids
If your video game-induced sickness is severe, consider over-the-counter motion sickness medication or anti-nausea supplements.
Consult a doctor before taking medication long-term. Newer, non-drowsy formulations are available. Some gamers swear by ginger and mint supplements. A small fan blowing on your face is another suggested remedy, though its effectiveness is debated.
Acclimatization
Simply playing video games frequently can help your body adjust to the stimulus and reduce cue conflict.
However, this is a somewhat masochistic approach. Try adjusting the field of view first before repeatedly subjecting yourself to nausea.
We’ve covered a wide range of solutions for video game-induced sickness. If you’ve found a helpful trick we haven’t mentioned, or want to share your experience with the solutions listed, join the discussion in the How-To Geek forum.