Hacks

These 10 Ingenious Ways To Cope With Motion Sickness is a Lifesaver

2016-08-06 , 3:39 pm

Last Updated on 2023-05-10 , 1:59 pm

Imagine this: You’re on your first day of vacation and you hop onto a boat to get to your destination, only to puke all over the boat one hour into the ride.

I cannot fathom anything worse than that. So if you’re one to have motion sickness, below we’ll let you in on some secrets as how to cope with it.

1. Take control of your situation

If you’re going on a road trip and you know that you are prone to motion sickness, call dibs on driving. That is assuming that you are able to drive. If not, seat next to the driver.

2. Choose your seats

If you’re taking an aeroplane, choose the middle seats as it provides the calmest ride. If you’re taking a ship, pick a seat on the lower level.

Don’t just pick a seat just because your friends are there. There’s no point if you’re going to puke an hour later. That will not look very charming, especially if your crush is going on the same trip as you.

3. Avoid excessive eating or drinking

We understand that you might be afraid you’ll get hungry throughout the journey, but don’t stuff too much food into your tummy. It’ll cause your stomach to feel extremely queasy especially if your ride is a bumpy one.

Refrain from eating food with strong odours, spicy and high calorie as these may worsen the symptons for those with motion sickness. Instead, eat light and small meals.

4. It’s all mental

Sometimes, it’s all in your head. If you’re constantly telling yourself that you’ll have motion sickness, chances are you’ll actually have it.

Instead, try telling yourself that you will not get motion sickness. Set your expectations and you might just surprise yourself.

5. Desensitize yourself

Another way is to try desensitising yourself. Desensitising therapy helps to minimise motion sickness and can actually cure it. It’s simple.

For example, if you tend to get motion sickness while reading a book, try reading for 5 minutes at a time. Put your book down after 5 minutes, rest for a bit before reading for another 5.

Slowly, extend the time to 10 minutes. And over time, you’ll realise that you no longer get motion sickness from reading.

6. Ginger

Yes, we know. Ginger. One word: Eww. But hey, it works so it’s worth a try! Some studies have shown that ginger is able to help prevent motion sickness.

So the next time you travel, try drinking a juice with ginger in it!

7. Equalize yourself

If you’re getting seasick, lie down to help your sensory systems become congruent. On a train, sit in a front-facing seat so your eyes relay the same movement cues as the vestibules of your inner ear.

Also, when travelling by car or boat, it can sometimes help to keep your gaze fixed on the horizon or on a fixed point. The more you enhance sensory congruence, the less likely you are to get queasy.

8. Be well rested prior to your trip

It’s never good to feel exhausted prior to your trip. When your body is tired, it makes you more prone to motion sickness. So always rest early if you’re going to be travelling the next day.

9. Isolate yourself from people who suffer from motion sickness

Remember the saying, birds of the same breed flock together? Well, no. Not for those with motion sickness at least.

Hearing people talk about their motion sickness and seeing them suffer from it can trigger your motion sickness to act up. That’s the last thing you’d want to happen. So steer clear!

10. If all else fails, take medications

If all of the above does no help for you, it might be best to consult a doctor and take medication.

Getting motion sickness is no easy feat and it has the ability to ruin your entire trip. After all, who likes puking on the first day of your trip?