Tips

The Ultimate Guide to Preventing Motion Sickness During Holiday Travel

For those who suffer from motion sickness, long holiday breaks and frequent travel can be a daunting prospect. Our experts are here to help with their top tips on how to prevent travel sickness.

Administrator

5 September, 2024

Motion Sickness: Understanding the Causes and Effective Strategies for Relief

Motion sickness occurs in some individuals due to a conflict of signals sent to the brain or overstimulation of the vestibular system. When the body is in motion, various signals are transmitted to the brain. In a moving vehicle, these signals can conflict, leading the brain to perceive the body as being in a dangerous situation.

As a result, the body may react with symptoms such as restlessness, anxiety, increased sweating, pale skin, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal distress, dizziness, and headaches.

Certain factors can also increase the likelihood of motion sickness, such as confined spaces, cigarette smoke, and the smell of gasoline or vehicle emissions. Individuals with vestibular disorders, pregnant women or those on contraceptive pills, and children are more susceptible to motion sickness.

Motion sickness occurs when the vestibular system is overstimulated. (Illustrative image)

To mitigate motion sickness, doctors recommend several strategies, including avoiding excessive hunger or fullness, ensuring adequate sleep before traveling, and maintaining a calm mental state.

If possible, sleeping during the journey can help alleviate symptoms. Eating light and bland foods, drinking water, and avoiding alcoholic beverages are also advisable. Consuming fruits like oranges, biscuits, bread, dried fruits, or nuts can further reduce the chances of motion sickness.

Aromatherapy with orange or ginger essential oils and drinking ginger tea can help mask the smell of gasoline. Sufferers should aim to sit by the window or towards the front of the vehicle, focusing their gaze on the horizon to synchronize visual and vestibular signals, thus reducing motion sickness.

It is crucial to refrain from reading or looking at electronic devices while in motion. Medications such as antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine, promethazine, meclizine) and anticholinergics (available in pill or transdermal patch form) can also be effective in preventing and managing motion sickness.

According to VTC News

Frequently asked questions

Motion sickness is a common condition that occurs when there is a conflict between the senses and the body’s sense of movement. It can be caused by travel, including car, air, and sea travel, as well as by virtual reality and theme park rides. Symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, headache, and sweating.

There are several ways to prevent motion sickness. General tips include maintaining a comfortable body temperature, staying hydrated, and avoiding heavy meals and alcohol before and during travel. Specific strategies include focusing on the horizon or a fixed point, keeping your head still by leaning it against something, and closing your eyes or blocking your peripheral vision.

Ginger is a well-known natural remedy for motion sickness. You can consume it in various forms, such as ginger tea, candies, or supplements. Peppermint and lavender essential oils can also help relieve symptoms when inhaled or applied topically. Acupressure wrist bands are another drug-free option that applies pressure to a specific point on the wrist to relieve nausea.

Common over-the-counter medications for motion sickness include antihistamines such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) and meclizine (Bonine), as well as transdermal scopolamine patches (such as Transderm Scop) that are applied behind the ear.

If you start feeling motion sickness during travel, try to get some fresh air if possible. Focus on a stationary object in the distance, or close your eyes and rest. Avoid reading or looking at your phone, as this can make symptoms worse. Sucking on ice chips or a lemon slice can also help alleviate nausea.