Find out how using virtual reality technology can impact people’s health.
With virtual reality becoming more accessible to the public, businesses are gradually buying into the concept. The percentage of private headset users is also slowly increasing.
However, like any other technological advancement, virtual reality has its share of positive and negative effects on our health, and this short article will illustrate them for you. We have selected several popular and positive uses of VR and a few frequently asked questions about the negative impact of this technology on health.
Key takeaways
- The impact of VR on treatment, skills improvement, and business value.
- How to reduce the adverse health effects of VR.
The Positive Impact of Virtual Reality on Health
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the positive health effects of virtual reality today. Let’s take a look at the positive impacts below.
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Virtual Reality Health Applications
Virtual reality is rapidly being used in the treatment of many health ailments. It has particularly become useful in the rehabilitation and psychological arm of medicine. New virtual reality apps have been designed to help people who feel stressed most of the time. In other words, it helps them to feel relaxed by releasing hormones of the body concerned with rest, thereby relieving them from stress. There is also the stroke rehabilitation application that helps to ease the rehabilitation process of people who have suffered from a stroke episode through video games.
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Teleconferencing
In this time of the global COVID-19 pandemic, virtual reality has become a handy tool for a lot of businesses. Business meetings can be held digitally without the need for people to gather together in a conference room. A simulated business environment can be created with the appropriate software, so the health of everyone is taken care of. It also helps to reduce the stress of moving from one location to another.
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Brain and skills improvement
VR technology is gradually being adopted by businesses and organizations to train employees to be more productive. It is mostly used by companies that have high chances of occupational hazards. Firefighters, construction workers, and telecommunications personnel are among the set of employees who undergo VR training to improve their skills set and become more adept at their roles in quicker time. The medical industry uses VR technology to save lives, especially in teaching students and health practitioners on topics such as surgery. VR training has been shown to improve the retention and recalling of events by the human brain as well.
See the project VR safety training application for high-risk professions.
The Negative Impacts of Virtual Reality on Health and how to prevent them
Now that you know the positive effects of virtual reality, let’s take a look at the possible negative effects of VR on our health. Below we answer frequently asked questions in this regard.
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Why does nausea occur when using VR?
It is quite common for users of VR technology to experience some form of nausea. This is because the simulated environment affects their sense of spatial awareness and time. Research studies have termed this phenomenon “Cybersickness”. Your brain starts to panic when your eyes see a scene that says you should be moving when you are actually not moving at all. Then you may feel nauseous or even start rocking in place.It even happens that users experience motion sickness as a result of a change in the body’s natural balance after being immersed in a simulated environment for too long. It’s good to be aware of how our brain responds to how we feel and of course take breaks from using a headset.
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Can you get addicted to using virtual reality?
The immersive nature of virtual reality can be addicting, unfortunately. This is common for VR users who spend a lot of time gaming, especially violent games. This causes such users to feel very often nervous or tense. This feeling of anxiety may take a while because the virtual environment feels so real to them. Some users even experience escapism, which makes them believe in the virtual world more than the real one.For this reason, among other things, we must be careful when it comes to introducing children to the virtual world. Let’s just use technology wisely.
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Does using VR headsets make your eyes hurt?
When we stare at a TV or computer screen for a long time, the muscles responsible for the movement of the eyeballs get strained. This is also possible even if it is only for a short time. The same thing happens when using VR technology. VR headsets designers are yet to come up with designs that can mimic the wide-angle view of human vision. Making use of virtual reality headsets is generally known to cause eye soreness when used for too long. The best way to reduce the negative effects of VR on your eyes is to use it in moderation. Take little breaks when using VR headsets for long periods.
Conclusion
The negative health impact of virtual reality does not apply to everyone. Some experiences and games may make one person nauseous, while another will not feel them at all. This is because everyone is different. You just have to find your own comfort level.
VR is a powerful tool that can change our lives for the better. The proper use of this technology has shown that it can be a useful solution in healing, relaxation, and the development of business aspects.
