Why do people get dizzy while reading in the car? Is there any way to avoid the dizziness while still being able to read in the car?

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Why do people get dizzy while reading in the car? Is there any way to avoid the dizziness while still being able to read in the car?

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4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

As people have said, it’s a conflict between your eyes focusing on something stationary and your ears sensing movement. Some people can have this problem in reverse as well. Playing video games for long periods of time, for example. Your eyes see a lot of motion, but your ears recognize that you’re still, and it can cause dizziness. The remedy is typically syncing both senses back up. Looking out the window in the car, or getting up and moving around after too much video games.

Anonymous 0 Comments

It is because the inner ear tells your brain you are moving, but your eyes show that you are staying still, since you are looking at a stationary object. The two different messages confuse your brain and body and you feel nauseous. It’s also why people might feel nauseous when experiencing vertigo. Another term for this is motion sickness.

If I read in the car it helps if I look up every so often, can see things moving in my periphery, or am laying down while I read.

Anonymous 0 Comments

When reading, your eyes are telling your brain you’re sitting still, but your inner ear can feel the motion of that car and is telling your brain that you’re moving. Dizziness/motion sickness can happen for some people when these things don’t match up. That’s why normally you can look up at the road/horizon while riding in a car without feeling dizzy, since your eyes and inner ear are both telling your brain you are moving.

Motion sickness remedies in general might help with reading in the car, but nothing works for everyone 100% of the time. It may be worth looking into “motion sickness glasses” which give your eyes a sort of artificial horizon to see when moving. Though I think the most common advice for motion sickness symptoms when reading in the car is unfortunately to just stop reading.

Anonymous 0 Comments

a ) Not everyone gets dizzy.

b ) This would be your brain being confused trying to process conflicting information. Your eyes are telling your brain that you’re still, quietly reading while stationary. Your inner ear (sense of balance) is telling your brain it is moving, because it sense the car movement. The result is your brain not knowing if it is still or moving and getting confused and sick.