How to Avoid Motion Sickness

Motion sickness, whether on a plane, car or boat, is a common condition that is triggered by traveling. It is often a quick striking condition that is accompanied by an uneasy feeling, cold clammy sweats, headache, dizziness, nausea and the eventual vomiting. This occurs when the brain receives mismatched signals from the inner ears, eyes, muscles and joints during the time a person is traveling in some form of transportation. The signals the brain gets are confused and trigger the motion sickness. Motion sickness may lessen as the body becomes more adjusted to traveling or when the movements from traveling completely stops, though sometimes the symptoms can linger for a period of time after you have stopped traveling. A person might be able to avoid motion sickness if they learn to plan ahead.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Neck pillow
• Over-the-counter medicine for motion sickness
• Over-the-counter antihistamine
• Doctor prescribed transdermal motion sickness patch

1. Get plenty of rest prior to starting your travel plans. A body that is well rested is a body that is better able to handle the stressors that are associated with traveling.
2. Choose the right place to sit. For airplane travel, you will want to request an aisle seat that is located over the front edge of the wing. When traveling by train, find a seat near the front of the train that is next to the window and facing forward. Traveling by car, you should sit in the front passenger seat. Reserve a cabin that is in the forward or middle and on the upper deck when you take a cruise on a ship. All of these suggestions will help your body handle the movement and motion of the transportation method chosen.
3. Do not stand. Standing will have your body in a constant state of trying to maintain balance, which will have you feeling every little movement. This is a good way to trigger motion sickness.
4. Keep eyes focused on the horizon. It may also help to focus on a stationary object that is off in the distance.
5. Refrain from reading. Reading will have your eyes moving and stimulating signals that can trigger mismatched confusion and a sudden onset of motion sickness.
6. Position your head against the back of the seat you are sitting in. This will help lessen head movement, and, to better assist your comfort, you may want to use a neck pillow.
7. Stay away from spicy and greasy food. These types of foods will not settle well in your stomach while traveling, and the last thing you want to do is give your stomach any reason to act up while you are traveling. Also, do not overeat. Instead, try light meals, snack on dry crackers and drink some carbonated beverage to settle stomach.
8. Maintain adequate hydration. Sometimes while a person travels, they will not drink enough and this can bring on an episode of motion sickness. Drink plenty of water and electrolyte based beverages.
9. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol and then succumbing to motion sickness can really compound the situation and make it even worse.
10. Never smoke or sit by someone that is smoking. The smell of cigarette smoke in a confined area can induce motion sickness. The good thing is that many methods of public transportation no longer permit smoking.
11. Take an over-the-counter medication for motion sickness or an over-the-counter antihistamine. This can be especially helpful for a person that already knows they are susceptible to motion sickness. It is good to carry this type of medication with you when you know you will be traveling, because you never know when motion sickness will grab you. Antihistamines are not just for allergies. They can also be used to combat symptoms of nausea associated with motion sickness.
12. Ask your doctor to prescribe a transdermal motion sickness patch. When you already know you suffer from motion sickness every time you travel, it can be beneficial to ask your doctor to prescribe something stronger to help you combat motion sickness.

Tips & Warnings

• When the symptoms of motion sickness linger on long after the traveling has stopped, you should contact a doctor. It may be something more than motion sickness or you may be dehydrated from the motion sickness.