Coping with Vertigo at Work: Practical Office Tips to Manage Dizziness Safely

If you’re trying to stay productive while the room feels like it’s sliding sideways, you’re not alone. Vertigo and dizziness are common in working-age adults, and an office can quietly make them worse: bright screens, flickering lights, back-to-back calls, and zero time to reset. You won’t fix the root cause in a day, but you can steady symptoms, cut triggers, and build a routine that keeps you safe and working. I live with vestibular symptoms myself, and these are the tactics that actually help on a real weekday-tested in open-plan offices, meeting rooms, trains, and those long video calls.

TL;DR: Key takeaways

• Stabilise first: sit, fix your gaze on a still object, breathe slowly, sip water, and get to a safe space. If symptoms hit hard, reduce visual input (eyes half-closed or an eye mask) and wait for the spin to settle.
• Cut office triggers: neutral lighting with minimal flicker, steady monitor height, larger text, and frequent micro-breaks reduce motion and visual conflict. Think simple adjustments, big payoff.
• Plan your day: batch visually heavy tasks when you’re steady, build 3-5 minute resets between meetings, and keep a small “vertigo kit” at your desk.
• Use your rights: in the UK, you can request reasonable adjustments and ask for flexible working from day one. Small changes (lighting, seating, desk location) can be formalised.
• Know red flags: sudden severe headache, stroke signs, chest pain, head injury, or new hearing loss/tinnitus with vertigo-seek urgent medical care. Routine dizziness also deserves a GP review.

A workday playbook: steady yourself now, then manage the day

What jobs are you trying to get done here? Usually: stop an episode safely, keep working without provoking another, communicate what you need without drama, and know when to call it. This section gives you a clear, repeatable plan.

vertigo at work hits fast. Your first goal is safety, not heroics.

When symptoms surge (30-180 seconds):

1. Stop moving. Sit with your back supported; if standing, widen your stance and hold a solid surface.
2. Fix your gaze on a still point 1-3 metres away. Breathe in for 4, out for 6, for 1-2 minutes.
3. Reduce sensory noise: dim your screen, close one eye if that steadies you, or look at a plain wall. If you carry an eye mask, use it for 1-2 minutes.
4. Hydrate: 4-8 sips of water. Low hydration can worsen dizziness sensations.
5. Message a colleague or your manager: “Taking 5 to steady dizziness, back shortly.” Give yourself the cover to reset.

If nausea hits: keep your head still, nibble a dry cracker if that helps you, and avoid scrolling or turning quickly. Anti-sickness meds (for example, prochlorperazine or cyclizine) can help short term if prescribed for you-UK guidance advises they’re for acute relief, not daily long-term use, because they can slow vestibular recovery. NHS and NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries back this short-term approach.

If episodes keep coming: find a quieter space (stairwell landing, meeting room, wellness room), turn off overhead glare, and take 10 minutes. In my case, two rounds of breathing and a gaze-hold settle things most days.

Optional drills (if already taught by a clinician): simple gaze-stabilisation (VOR x1: eyes on a letter, move head horizontally 10-20 seconds) can retrain your system over weeks. Don’t start new drills at the office without guidance. For benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the Epley manoeuvre helps many people, but it’s better done safely at home or with a clinician-lying back in a meeting room isn’t ideal.

Now that the spike is down, run your day with fewer triggers.

Morning routine (5-10 minutes):

• Gentle neck/eye warm-up: look left/right and up/down slowly; shoulder rolls; two slow stands from seated.
• Eat something light with protein. Fluctuating blood sugar can feel like dizziness and stack on top of true vertigo.
• Pack your kit: water bottle, sunglasses or cap, ginger chews or crackers, eye mask, saline spray (dry air can worsen motion sensitivity), small fan or cooling wipe, prescribed meds if you use them.

Commute choices: If trains make you sway, face forward, sit near the middle carriage, and look at the horizon. Buses? Sit where you can see ahead. If you’re cycling, stick to well-known routes and avoid abrupt head turns. If your commute is a trigger, talk to your manager about shifting start times to travel in quieter periods or working hybrid-under UK flexible working rules updated in 2024, you can request this from day one.

At your desk:

• Set your monitor so the top is at or slightly below eye level. Avoid tipping your head back to look up-it’s a classic nystagmus trigger for some types of vertigo.
• Increase text size and reduce motion/animations in your operating system and browser. Consider a higher refresh-rate monitor (75-120 Hz) if flicker bothers you.
• Keep lighting neutral and even. Bright spots and shadow stripes push your eyes to keep recalibrating.
• Micro-breaks: every 20-30 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, then do three slow breaths.
• Hydrate and pace caffeine. Coffee is fine for many, but big swings (none, then three cups) can make symptoms unpredictable, especially with vestibular migraine.

Meetings and calls:

• Pick a seat with your back to a wall and away from bright windows. Fewer moving people in your visual field helps.
• On video calls, reduce self-view, ask presenters to use static slides, and minimise fancy transitions. If motion backgrounds bother you, switch them off.
• Between meetings, schedule 3-5 minutes for a reset. Put it on the invite so people expect it.

Emergency plan everyone can live with: Identify a “safe spot” where you can sit or lie down for 5-10 minutes (wellness room or a quiet area). Ask a colleague to be your check-in person if you message “Spinning-taking 10.” HR can note this discreetly. If your building needs evacuation support, request a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP).

When to stop the day: if you’re still spinning after repeated resets, or you can’t walk safely without a wall, go home or switch to offline tasks. Fatigue can lock the symptoms in.

Make the office vertigo-friendly: triggers, tools, and adjustments

Small environment tweaks often do more than medication. This is where you win back most of your day.

Lighting that doesn’t fight your eyes: Use neutral white (around 4000K) and reduce flicker. Some LED panels flicker due to pulse-width modulation; facilities can swap them out or add diffusers. If you can’t change fixtures, a desk lamp with a constant-current driver helps. Avoid high-gloss surfaces that reflect movement.

Screen settings: steady refresh rate (75-120 Hz if supported), larger fonts (110-125%), higher contrast themes, and reduced animations. A matte screen filter can cut glare. I switch to “Reader Mode” for long articles and scroll slowly-fast scrolling provokes sway for me.

Desk ergonomics: chair height so your hips are level with or slightly above knees; feet flat; monitor arm to keep the screen directly in front of you. Keep a small footrest if you end up perching. A document holder beside the monitor reduces head turns.

Sound and motion: Constant low background noise beats sudden bursts. Noise-cancelling headphones help, but try transparency mode so you’re not fully sealed off-full isolation can make motion cues feel weirder for some people.

Hydration and steady fueling: Keep water at arm’s length. Aim for regular small meals or snacks with protein and complex carbs. Some people with vestibular migraine find that very salty foods or alcohol worsen attacks; others are fine-track your patterns for two weeks and adjust.

Rights and adjustments (UK, 2025): Under the Equality Act 2010, a long-term vestibular condition can count as a disability; employers must consider reasonable adjustments. Practical examples: relocating your desk away from flicker or heavy foot traffic, giving you a monitor arm or a higher refresh-rate screen, providing task lighting, allowing hybrid days, and building short recovery gaps into your schedule. ACAS guidance supports early, informal conversations and a simple adjustments plan. The Access to Work scheme (Department for Work and Pensions) can fund specialist equipment, transport help, or job coaching if your condition impacts your work-worth a look if commuting or kit is the sticking point.

What does the evidence say? Primary care guidance (NICE CKS; NHS) suggests: identify the cause; try Epley manoeuvres for BPPV; use vestibular suppressants briefly during acute attacks; and consider vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) for persistent imbalance. Dizziness and vertigo are common in GP consultations-roughly a few percent of visits-so you’re not a rare case. Systematic reviews support VRT for chronic vestibular dysfunction, improving balance and reducing dizziness over weeks.

Quick checklists you can act on this week:

• Desk: monitor arm, top of screen at/below eye level, matte filter, text size 110-125%, animations off, document holder.
• Lighting: diffuse neutral light, no flicker; avoid direct downlights; add a steady desk lamp if needed.
• Routine: 20-30 minute micro-breaks, short resets after meetings, steady hydration, regular snacks.
• Kit: eye mask, ginger chews/crackers, water, saline spray, sunglasses/cap, small fan, prescribed meds.
• Admin: simple adjustments note with manager, safe spot identified, buddy system, PEEPs if relevant.

FAQ and next steps (symptom flares, meds, rights, and recovery)

Is it safe to do the Epley manoeuvre at the office? If you’ve been properly diagnosed with BPPV and taught Epley, it can help. But it involves lying back with your head hanging, which isn’t always dignified or practical at work. I keep that for home and use simple gaze and breathing resets at the office. If you’re unsure it’s BPPV, don’t self-treat-see your GP or a vestibular physio first.

Which medications actually help? In the UK, short-term vestibular suppressants/anti-sickness meds like prochlorperazine or cyclizine can ease acute attacks. Guidance from NHS and NICE CKS advises against long-term daily use because these drugs can slow down your brain’s natural compensation. For vestibular migraine, a GP or neurologist may discuss prevention (for example, certain beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, or other options) if attacks are frequent. Always tailor meds to your diagnosis.

My screen triggers dizziness. What settings should I change? Increase refresh rate if you can, bump font size to 110-125%, switch on high-contrast or reader modes, reduce animations in your OS and browser, and use a matte screen filter. Position your monitor straight ahead and avoid dual screens at different heights or brightnesses. On phones, reduce motion in Accessibility settings and slow your scroll speed.

How do I ask for adjustments without making it awkward? Keep it simple and practical. “Bright, flickering light and fast screen motion trigger my vertigo. Could we switch me to a desk with diffuse light and provide a monitor arm and a matte filter? I also need 3-5 minute breaks between meetings to steady symptoms.” Tie each request to a work impact and a fix. ACAS guidance supports early, informal conversations and reasonable adjustments. If needed, send a brief GP note confirming you’ll benefit from those changes.

What about commuting? Pick the smoothest carriage, face forward, focus on a distant point, and avoid looking at your phone while moving. If crowded, aim for off-peak travel; flexible hours are a valid adjustment. If public transport is a barrier and your condition is long-lasting, the UK’s Access to Work scheme may help with transport support.

Can exercise actually improve things? Yes-vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) has good evidence for persistent imbalance and motion sensitivity. A vestibular physio can build a graded plan. Expect a few weeks of steady gains rather than an overnight change. Gentle daily walks, neck mobility, and simple balance drills (near a support) are a solid base.

When should I worry and seek urgent care? Red flags: sudden, severe headache; weakness, slurred speech, facial droop, or difficulty seeing (think stroke signs); chest pain; fainting; head injury; new one-sided hearing loss or continuous loud tinnitus with vertigo. For these, don’t wait-seek urgent medical help. If your “usual” dizziness changes character or keeps you off balance for days, book a GP appointment.

Is this in my head? The sensation is very real. Anxiety often rides along because feeling off-balance is scary, but the vestibular system is physical. That said, simple breathing, predictable routines, and small wins during the day can calm both the symptom and the stress loop.

Fire drills and alarms make me wobble. Any workaround? Ask for advance notice of scheduled drills, a buddy escort, and a place in the muster area away from flashing lights. That’s a reasonable adjustment, and a PEEP can formalise it if needed.

I’m mostly fine, then crash in the afternoon. Why? Visual and cognitive load add up. Stack visually heavy or fast-paced tasks earlier, and switch to quieter work after 3 p.m. Keep a 2-3 minute reset every half-hour in the afternoon, and don’t skip snacks or hydration.

What causes are common, anyway? BPPV is a frequent culprit for brief positional spins. Vestibular migraine affects a noticeable minority and often shows up in offices because screens and motion are constant. Viral vestibular neuritis hits hard and then slowly improves. A GP can sort through the pattern-duration, triggers, and associated symptoms are the clues.

Final practical steps to lock this in:

• Write a 4-5 line “flare plan” and keep it on your phone. When you’re spinning, you won’t think clearly.
• Create a one-page adjustments list: desk setup, lighting, meeting gaps, safe spot. Share it with your manager and HR.
• Track triggers and wins for two weeks. Notice what actually helps you-not everything on the internet will fit your pattern.
• Ask your GP about diagnosis confirmation and, if needed, a vestibular physio referral for VRT.
• Apply to Access to Work if transport or specialist kit is the barrier.

I work in Manchester, mostly in open-plan spaces, and I’ve had to learn this the hard way. The trick isn’t to be fearless; it’s to be prepared. Steady your system, adjust the environment, and make your routine do half the work for you.

Credible sources you can mention to your GP or manager: NHS guidance on vertigo; NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries for vertigo and vestibular migraine; Cochrane reviews on vestibular rehabilitation; ACAS guidance on reasonable adjustments and day-one flexible working; HSE advice on display screen equipment and lighting; Equality Act 2010 for adjustments at work.