Effect of virtual reality and whole-body heating on motion sickness severity: A combined and individual stressors approach

•We postulate that heat stress, in addition to a VR stimulus may trigger a heightened nauseogenic response and VIMS.•Data does not provide unequivocal evidence of a synergistic interaction between a heat exposure and VR use on VIMS.•Despite no statistical synergistic interaction, trends towards synergism were seen in VIMS questionnaire data, vasomotor and sudomotor activity.•Considerable individual variation was seen in resistance to motion sickness, limiting the statistical power available for a significant interaction.•Vasomotor activity showed conflict between the vasoconstriction induced by VR and vasodilatation induced by heat.