Whenever Jess Farmery walks into work, she starts sneezing and scratching her skin 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 around, so it couldn’t be hay fever,” Farmery, who works as a communications and public relations professional in the health technology industry, also noticed the fluorescent lighting triggers headaches and makes her exhausted.
When she leaves the building, her symptoms subside almost immediately.
Farmery isn’t alone. What she’s experiencing is often referred to as sick building syndrome—a term used to describe a range of symptoms that appear to be associated with staying inside a specific building for long stretches of time. Research suggests this sudden, inexplicable illness affects women more often than men.
According to a report by the EPA, sick building syndrome describes “the acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked 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 triggered by the more physical traits of an office building, such as bright strip lighting, a lack of windows, or the smell of the carpets.
Lizzie, 30, who works for a nonprofit organization tells SELF her sick building syndrome symptoms at her current office are “unmanageable.” She asked not to be identified for fear of workplace repercussions.
Lizzie has been with the company for around eight years, and she didn’t have an issue when she was based in a different building for the first five years at her job. Lizzie never really experienced workplace stress before, but when the company moved to a new purpose-built office in January 2024, she started to feel very unwell whenever she was at work.
“I was like, oh God, these lights are really affecting my brain,” she says of first experiencing it. “I was starting to have migraine symptoms. I felt sick and dizzy. And this was only after being in the building for about 10 minutes.”
Her work suffered as a result because she couldn’t focus. When she approached her employer, Lizzie says she was told she could reduce her hours voluntarily if she couldn’t come into the office full-time, or she’d risk dismissal. She agreed, but even part-time attendance causes her to feel ill.
“I know exactly what’s going to happen,” she says. “My head is spinning, I get acid reflux, and I just have to remove myself. I know that I’ll probably vomit if I stay in the space.”
What are the symptoms of sick building syndrome?
The World Health Organization first described sick building syndrome in the 1980s as “a collection of signs and symptoms fitting a recognizable pattern” when people are exposed to various stressors, including indoor air quality, lighting, noise, and chemicals. The report also mentioned that psychological effects are at play, suggesting that being in an environment that triggers anxiety can impact a person’s overall health.
But doctors still don’t fully agree on what causes sick building syndrome, and there’s no official way to diagnose it.
Leonard Bielory, MD, a professor of allergy, immunology, and ophthalmology at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, in New Jersey, calls sick building syndrome a “catchall term.”
“It’s the building that’s sick, not the person,” he tells SELF.
Symptoms of sick building syndrome may be triggered by mold spores or chemicals released from building materials like carpeting, adhesives, insulation, furniture, or paint, or even substances such as formaldehyde.
These reactions can be irritant-based rather than a classic allergic responses, Dr. Bielory explains. Eyes and noses act as early “detection systems,” picking up on volatile organic compounds and other airborne irritants.
Everyone has a different tolerance threshold, Dr. Bielory adds, and sensitivity to things like chemicals, dust, and poor ventilation are different for each individual. For example, one person may be able to tolerate large quantities of dust that’s been sitting out for weeks with no issue, whereas another will be prone to sneezing in a room that hasn’t been dusted in just a couple of days.
“That’s the sensitivity of a person who is able to sleep on a bed of nails versus the princess in ‘The Princess and the Pea’ who had a hundred mattresses and could still feel it,” he says.
Women are at higher risk than men—but it’s not clear why
One of the most consistent findings in research dating back to the early 2000s is that women report sick building syndrome symptoms more often than men. Historically, it was thought this was due to differences in job roles. But over the years, a more complicated picture has emerged.
In a 2025 study from China, published in the journal Buildings, gender emerged as a significant predictor of developing symptoms of sick building syndrome—especially skin problems and “general symptoms” which included dizziness and headaches, breathing problems, fatigue, anxiety, and digestive issues. The researchers noted the findings aligned with seven previous papers dating between 2009 and 2023.
Some researchers believe biology could play a role. Women are more likely to experience certain immune-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and scleroderma. Some studies have found a link between autoimmune conditions and allergen sensitivity, such as one paper from 2020 that found patients with lupus had a higher prevalence of allergic rhinitis, while another from 2021 found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis had a higher prevalence of eczema.
One recent study, published in Indoor and Built Environment, analyzed over 3,000 articles and 134 studies. It found that women more frequently reported sick building syndrome symptoms than men. The researchers concluded that this disparity was due to factors such as social roles, lower cold tolerance, and multiple chemical sensitivity.
Kathryn Basford, MD, who is a primary care physician based in London and specializes in women’s health, tells SELF more women may be impacted as a result of a number of factors, such as higher sensitivity to allergens, poor air quality, higher workplace stress, and lower environmental satisfaction for things like temperature and lighting.
“Several explanations for this have been proposed, but none are definitive,” Dr. Basford says.
The analysis paper in Indoor and Built Environment also found that thermal and indoor environmental perceptions may contribute to women being more sensitive to potential environmental triggers. Dr. Basford explains that women tend to prefer rooms to be warmer than men, because men generally emit more heat, “which could leave them feeling more uncomfortable in office spaces.”
Farmery says she doesn’t think sick building syndrome is taken as seriously as it should be, partly because women are often expected to tolerate discomfort without speaking up.
“If employees are wanting to get people back into the office, then it’s also something that they should consider,” she says. “I would definitely want to spend more time in the office if I didn’t feel exhausted and inflamed every time I went there.”
What to do if you suspect your office environment is making you sick
If you think your symptoms are a result of your work environment, it’s important to address the problem before it worsens. Here are some ways you can begin to manage your symptoms and feel a little better at the office.
Improve ventilation: Dr. Basford and Dr. Bielory both say it is key to improve ventilation. Ask a manager if you can move to a space that is closer to the doors or windows. You can also consider investing in an air purifier to keep at your workspace.
Clean regularly: Eliminating potential allergens and irritants may improve how you feel. Wipe down surfaces to remove any debris that may trigger your symptoms.
Update monitors and adjust poor lighting: Dr. Basford also recommends asking management to update computer monitors and display systems in your office and request adjustments to harsh lighting. You could ask that the lights go down at a certain time of day to reduce strain on the eyes, for example. This can help physical symptoms like headaches, tired eyes, and overall fatigue, Dr. Basford says.
Take regular breaks: Go for a short walk to get away from your screen and reduce eye strain. Regular, low-impact exercise like walking can also help boost the immune system and improves energy levels.
Document your symptoms: Alan Hedge, professor emeritus in the Department of Human Centered Design at Cornell University, who has studied sick building syndrome, tells SELF documenting symptoms is key.
“If someone is experiencing sick building syndrome symptoms, they should keep a diary of what symptoms occur and when and where this happens in the building,” he says. “This can usually give clues as to the possible cause of the problems.”
Talk to a manager: “If you think you have sick building syndrome at work, you should speak to your employer,” Dr. Basford says. “Try to speak to the owner or manager, who should look into the problem and try to find a solution.” This might mean moving you to a different workspace or allowing you to work from home more frequently.
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