• Question: Why do I feel dizzy when I spin?

    Asked by camel12 to Mike, Pip, Tim, Tom on 4 Jul 2012.
    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 4 Jul 2012:

      Part of your ears (I think) contain a fluid sack that your body uses to help it balance. When you spin, you shake the fluid around, which confuses your brain. Then when you stop, your brain is being to that it’s still moving by your balance sensor, but that you’re stationary by your eyes and it gets confused: you’re dizzy.

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 4 Jul 2012:

      Agreed. It’s the same effect you get when you have been on a moving train that stops and then you think you are moving backwards, or when the whole room seems to move upwards after playing guitar hero (so I’ve been told). This is because you get used to things moving in one direction and you brain continues to correct for it after you stop (vision in the case of guitar hero, balance in the case of dizziness).

      This is useful when you are spinning, but annoying just after. I should also mention that it is not because the liquid in this fluid sack keeps sploshing around after you stop. This sploshing would only happen for a couple of seconds or so but you can feel dizzy for ages.

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