I spend a lot of time looking at screens. Whether I am working at my desk or scrolling through my phone keeping tabs on the news, I definitely get a lot of screen time.

That is one of the reasons I never had much interest in virtual reality. Because I didn’t know much about it, I figured I didn’t need more screen time delivered through a bulky headset.

It turns out I really did not know what I was missing.

My husband, Mike, had mentioned several times that he was interested in acquiring a VR device for exercise purposes. I didn’t give it much thought, since the sets were expensive and I didn’t feel qualified to judge one from another.

But when Christmas rolled around, Santa Claus apparently had heard Mike’s wish. A new VR device appeared under our tree.

It took some adjusting of straps to place that thing on my head for the first time, and I was surprised to learn that I could continue to wear my glasses while using it. Mike placed the controllers in my hands and then began to talk me through the process of using the unit.

I absolutely could not believe my eyes. The artificial world I found myself in seemed completely real. Then, I launched the Batman game we had acquired.

What an incredible experience that produced!

I was transformed into a virtual Dark Knight. Soon I was grabbing the rungs of ladders and climbing up walls. Then I reached the roof of a building and peeked over the edge. It was so realistic that I lost my balance and became queasy. Mike actually took hold of the back of my shirt and pulled me backward to steady me and keep me from falling into the furniture.

Soon, though, I got my bearings. I was tossing grappling hooks, punching and kicking the bad guys and opening my cape to help me glide across long distances as I played the hero.

Now that I have the hang of it, I plan to try using the system to practice yoga in a more serene virtual setting.

Perhaps VR is not for you. If you think it might be, give it a try — but be careful at first. In general, though, don’t be afraid to try new things.