Motion sickness remedies

What is Motion Sickness?

Motion sickness results when the brain receives wrong information about the environment. It is the direct result of a conflict between the ears and eyes, where the inner ears detect that a vehicle is in motion, but the eyes do not.

Not everyone gets it, but the signals are pretty clear when you do - you get dizzy, sweat and feel nauseated and if things don't improve, you may even throw up. Motion sickness can be difficult to stop. In most instances, prevention is better than cure and the following tips may help:

1. Focus on the far horizon - By looking outside a moving vehicle and focusing on a distant point, you distract the eyes, so to speak and force them to acknowledge that the vehicle is in motion.

2. Travel at night- Better yet; travel at night when you can’t see the motion as well as during the day.

3. Avoid rear seats – As much as possible, take a seat up front in a bus, train or plane and avoid facing backwards. If travelling in the back seat of a car or mini-van, try to sit near the windows and look outside.

4. Frequent stops – If possible, make frequent stops to stretch your legs and get fresh air. If you’re on a boat, stand out on a deck and take in the sea breeze. On a plane, turn on the overhead vent.

5. Eat something – But avoid heavy meals or greasy food, and don’t overindulge, even in your favourite foods. Better options are to snack on crackers or fruit and sip on water or soda.

6. Avoid smoking and strong smells in the vehicle, such as greasy take-out food and perfumes. These will only serve to upset a queasy stomach even more.

7. Avoid alcohol- Too much alcohol can interfere with the way the brain handles information about the environment.

8. Watch for early symptoms – If you do begin to feel sick, then stop the vehicle and take a short break. If it’s not possible to stop at once, then open the window and slow down the speed of driving.

9. Take over the counter drugs – There are plenty of over the counter drugs available, which usually need to be taken before the trip. There are also alternative remedies such as acupressure and copper bracelets that can be effective.

10. Focusing on your breath – Finally, focusing on your breath may help if you begin to feel sick. Learning to meditate and conscious breathing have been recommended by a number of experts, who suggest that focused breathing into the diaphragm can in fact ease the symptoms of motion sickness.

Some home made remedies that may be worth a try!

Ginger root- Ginger works by absorbing acids and blocking nausea in your gastrointestinal track.

Soda crackers - Dry soda crackers might help absorb the excess saliva which dribbles into your stomach, making you feel nauseous.

Carbonated drinks- These are often recommended to prevent nausea, especially for children.