Are you one of those people who always have to carry a plastic bag when you are about to travel long distances because being in a moving vehicle makes you sick? It’s called motion sickness.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDP), explains that motion sickness occurs when the movement you observe differs from what your inner ear detects. CDP states that this may cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. “Motion sickness can occur in a car, on a train, on an airline, on a boat, or during an amusement park ride.”
The Cleveland Clinic gives an example of what happens to you when you experience motion sickness. According to the clinic, “Your eyes senses movement when signs, trees, and other stationary objects enter and then exit your field of vision. This notifies your brain that you’re moving.”
Furthermore, the clinic also mentions that your inner ear and nerve endings in your muscles and joints, which detect when you are stationary, signal your brain that you are not moving. Therefore, “your brain is unable to process the conflicting messages, causing you to feel nauseated or sweaty.”
Motion sickness makes it impossible for a person to have fun while travelling, turning a roadtrip with family and friends with a dreadful experience. However, there are solutions recommended by experts to make this more bearable.
Here are a few of them by the Cleveland Clinic:
Get fresh air: Rolling down the window if you are in a vehicle helps according to the clinic, and if you are “on a plane, direct air vents to blow in your direction.”
Redirect your gaze: The above-mentioned source also suggests that when experiencing motion sickness, avoid looking at your phone, book or iPad. Instead, focus on distant objects or the horizon.
Rest: It is also suggested to lie back if possible, adjust your seat to lean back and close your eyes.
Hydrate: “Drinking ginger tea or gingerbeer may help to put your stomach at ease,” claims the above-mentioned clinic.
Try something sweet: Another tip recommended that helps is having peppermint or ginger candies.
Also see: This is what happens when you reduce your daily sugar intake
