For some, a trip to the grocery store is a weekly routine to get your essentials. For others, it’s a dreaded task filled with dizziness and other uncomfortable symptoms, also known as “supermarket syndrome.”
Those who suffer from supermarket syndrome walk down the rows of shelves, between crowds of people and under bright lights, and may not even check off every item on their shopping list before having to leave the store due to uncomfortable physical symptoms. The same can be true in visually busier environments aside from shopping, such as sitting in traffic or watching a movie on a big screen.
It’s a pretty common phenomenon people experience when entering any type of store or similar environment, often linked to vestibular disorders, which affect your balance as well as spatial orientation.
Here’s what to know:
What causes ‘supermarket syndrome’?
Visually induced dizziness, or “supermarket syndrome,” refers to dizziness and imbalance triggered by visually busy environments such as a grocery store aisle, a busy drugstore or a clothing store.
“It describes a pattern of symptoms rather than a separate medical diagnosis. One possible explanation is a mismatch between the input from the visual and vestibular, or inner ear, systems,” said Dr. Robert Thompson, a physician and medical contributor for mental health facility Care Point Boston.
“Another is that the brain relies too heavily on visual information to maintain balance,” Thompson continued. “Busy aisles, bright lights and repeated patterns can trigger dizziness, unsteadiness, disorientation or nausea. Some people feel as though they’re rocking or swaying even when they’re standing still.”
Those who suffer from the condition may dread going to the store because of how bad it makes them feel. There are tall shelves filled with numerous things to look at and long aisles to walk down, accompanied by other shoppers and various sounds. The bending down, turning of the head and reaching for items can be draining and take a lot of energy when it ideally shouldn’t.
One of the common symptoms of supermarket syndrome is feeling off-balance. Our balance relies on our senses, including what we see, what we’re standing on and our inner ear, to prevent feeling dizzy and unbalanced. When one of these isn’t working correctly, our brain may rely too much on the working senses, leading to sensory overload.
“Visually induced dizziness can occur when the brain begins to rely too heavily on information from the eyes to maintain balance,” Thompson said. This makes it harder for your brain to process the movement and complex patterns in these types of environments.
Not everyone experiences supermarket syndrome, but some are more sensitive to complex visual environments than others. Some may feel nauseous, dizzy and even vomit, while others feel fatigued and disoriented.
Some people may even compare the symptoms to anxiety. Your brain is now trying to become dependent on visual information to maintain balance, so those with anxiety may feel worsening dizziness and other physical symptoms that can often feel unbearable.
How do you prevent supermarket syndrome?
When you’re shopping and don’t want to experience the dizziness and other symptoms associated with supermarket syndrome, Thompson said, reducing visual load may help.
“Shopping during quieter hours, taking shorter trips and allowing time for breaks may help reduce symptoms,” he explained. “However, prolonged avoidance of visual triggers may interfere with adaptation in some vestibular conditions.”
If symptoms persist despite taking breaks and limiting exposure to busy aisles, a clinician may be able to assess whether vestibular rehabilitation is appropriate.
“For some patients, this may include exercises and gradual exposure to visually busy environments to help improve tolerance over time,” said Dr. Hanul Bhandari, a neurologist and senior consultant at the treatment center New Waters Recovery.
If you’re shopping and start feeling symptoms of supermarket syndrome, stop walking and sit down somewhere safe until it passes.
“Moving away from busy aisles and visual distractions, when safe to do so, may help symptoms settle,” Thompson said. “If the dizziness persists, keeps returning or has no clear explanation, a medical evaluation is recommended.”
Emergency care is necessary if your dizziness is accompanied by symptoms like double vision, new weakness, difficulty speaking, a sudden severe headache or an inability to walk normally.