When Jess Farmerie goes into work, she starts sneezing and itching uncontrollably. Her colleagues joke with her that she’s allergic to the office.
“I thought it was Hay fever “Or something at first, and then winter came, so it couldn’t be hay fever,” Farmeri, 31, told SELF. Farmeri, who works as a communications and public relations specialist in the health technology industry, notes that fluorescent lighting causes headaches and makes her stressful.
When she leaves the building, her symptoms subside almost immediately.
The farm is not alone. What you are experiencing is often referred to as “sick building syndrome” – a term used to describe a A group of symptoms Which appears to be associated with remaining inside a particular building for long periods of time. Research suggests that this sudden, inexplicable disease affects women more than men.
according to Report from the Environmental Protection AgencySick building syndrome describes “acute effects on health and comfort that appear to be related to time spent in a building,” including brain fog, nausea, dizziness, migraines, rashes, and other symptoms.
There are many potential triggers that can cause these symptoms, including particles in the air such as mold spores, dust, and certain chemicals. But other symptoms, including headaches, eye strain, and fatigue, can be caused by the physical features of an office building, such as bright lighting, a lack of windows, or the smell of carpet.
Lizzie, 30, who works at a nonprofit, tells SELF that the symptoms of sick building syndrome in her current office are “uncontrollable.” She asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions in the workplace.
Lizzie has been with the company for about eight years, and never had a problem when she worked in a different building during her first five years. Lizzie had never experienced real stress in the workplace before, but when the company moved to a new purpose-built office in January 2024, she began to feel extremely unwell whenever she was at work.
“Oh my God, these lights are really affecting my brain,” she says of her first experience. “I’m starting to get Migraine symptoms. I felt sick and dizzy. And that was only after I had been in the building for about 10 minutes.
Her work suffered as a result because she couldn’t concentrate. When she contacted her employer, Lizzie said she was told she could voluntarily reduce her hours if she could not come into the office full time, or else she would risk being fired. She agreed, but even attending part-time made her feel sick.
