Tips on How to Beat Motion Sickness

Motion sickness is a problem affecting so many people. If you always suffer from motion sickness, you will dread extended trips. Fortunately, if the thought of traveling by train, car or bus makes you sick and nervous, there are many things that you...

by Bharat Kothakota , MD MPH

Motion sickness is a problem affecting so many people. If you always suffer from motion sickness, you will dread extended trips. Fortunately, if the thought of traveling by train, car or bus makes you sick and nervous, there are many things that you can do that will help you be comfortable whenever you are in motion. Motion sickness can also be hereditary. If you are suffering from it, there are probably many other people in your family who are suffering from it. Here are the best tips on how to beat motion sickness:

1. CONTROL YOUR FOOD CONSUMPTION

If you are planning to travel, it is very important to control your food intake. You should keep your stomach half empty at all times. Thing will be bad for you if you consume a lot of food and drinks before and during your travel. Avoid alcohol and do not take any type of drink that makes you feel full. You will have the chance to eat as much food as you want when you finally get to your destination. Avoid the temptation of consuming a lot of food to avoid discomfort as you travel.

2. TRY TO HAVE A BETTER CONTROL OF THE SITUATION

Not being in control of the car, bus, train or plane is obviously one of the things that is making you nervous and uncomfortable. If you are traveling by car and its possible for you to be on the driver's seat, you should be the one driving. It's unlikely that you will feel sick when you are the one in control of the car that you are traveling in. If you have no choice other than riding as a passenger, you should sit in the front seat so that you look at the horizon as you are traveling. This will give you a better feeling of control than sitting at the back.

3. GET TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION

Make sure that you are as comfortable as possible when you are traveling. Choose a seat where you will have the least motion. If you traveling in a plane, you should get a seat in the middle, close to the wings. This is because this is the calmest area of an aircraft. Stay away from other passenger who suffer from motion sickness. This is because when you have people who have the same problem around you, it is highly likely that you will get nervous and sick when you notice that they are uncomfortable.

4. KEEP YOURSELF BUSY

You should keep yourself busy when traveling to avoid thinking about your surroundings. However, there are certain activities that you should avoid when you are traveling because they will make you feel sick. One of the thing that you should not do is read or look at your phone. Although these are great ways of killing time, moving your eyes from side to side to read will make you sick. In addition, avoid taking a look at fast moving objects outside when you are traveling by car, train or bus. This is because such scenes put a strain on your mind.

5. AVOID ANY SORT OF STRONG SMELL

Avoid strong odors before and during travel. If you like wearing a robust perfume, you should not put it on when you are planning to travel. Stay away from fried foods, spicy foods other types foods that have strong odor. Such foods induce the feeling of sickness in most people who suffer from motion sickness. It is impossible to control the actions of the other people that you are traveling with. You should be prepared to cover your nose if you have to. You can also switch seats to avoid a strong odor if you have to.

6. MEDICATE WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS

If you are tried all things just to feel normal when you are traveling but you still suffer from motion sickness, you should resort to medication. A doctor can prescribe anti-histamine tablets. You should only use medications that are prescribed to you by a qualified medical professional. These medications are usually taken before traveling. In most cases, these medications are taken 30 to 60 minutes before getting into a bus, plane, car or train. Your doctor can also recommend other ways of dealing with motion sickness.