3 min read
People who use any type of virtual reality headset sometimes report feeling “off” after removing the device. As if their body or movements don’t feel quite right, or that the real world still feels a bit virtual. Although rare, new research shows there’s science behind this odd sensation, often called being “stuck in VR.”
How VR Headsets Affect Users
Many users shared experiences online ranging from hands feeling disconnected from their bodies, to perceiving their surroundings as slightly shifted or distorted after long VR sessions.
One person said they tried to eat dinner but couldn’t “find” their hands properly. Another described feeling as though tracking or boundary lines were still active after taking off the headset. Although strange, these sensations tend to fade away, usually within one or two hours.
What Causes the Feeling
At its core, the phenomenon relates to proprioception. Your brain’s sense of where your body is in space. VR devices, while immersive, are not perfect. Delays in tracking, slight inaccuracies in how your real and virtual hands are mapped, and visual distortions all contribute.
Over time, the brain adapts to the virtual environment’s quirks (even ones that aren’t perfect). When you remove the headset, the brain’s model, still influenced by the virtual reality, requires time to readjust. That lag in adaptation is what gives you that “VR still on” feeling.
Other factors that amplify the effect include mismatch of headset settings (like incorrect IPD), altered scale (being “taller” or “shorter” in VR), and the eye-strain between what your eyes see and what your brain expects (vergence-accommodation conflict).
Scientific Study Confirms Headset Distortions
Researchers from the University of Chicago conducted experiments to measure how VR affects proprioception and memory. In one part, participants performed pointing tasks after removing their headset. Some were still off by up to 7 cm (about 2.75 inches), showing that even when you think you’re fully “back” in the real world, your body’s spatial sense may still be lagging behind.
They also tested reported memory distortions. In the VR version, scientists rearranged objects in a room. Many participants misremembered their real positions and placed objects where they had seen them in VR.
How Serious Are Headset Distortions?
While this sensation is usually harmless and temporary, it has implications for VR design, safety, and user comfort. For instance, if you feel disoriented stepping off a VR platform, you might trip or misstep.
For VR used in training, medical, or work environments, alignment between the virtual and physical world becomes critical. Designers might need to account for readjustment time and build experiences that are gentler on proprioception.
