How To Avoid Motion Sickness (motion Sickness)

Motion sickness, or motion sickness, is a very common disorder that usually occurs when we are in a moving vehicle, especially in the car. It can also happen when we get on a train, a ship, or an airplane.

The main symptoms are nausea, dizziness, poor balance, and vomiting.

Learn more about motion sickness and, above all, how to avoid it, in the following article. Take note!

What to know about motion sickness?

This movement disorder is produced by repetitive angular and linear acceleration and deceleration. What it means is that it appears when the environment in which we find ourselves moves too much and not by its own action.

For this reason, it is common to suffer from it when traveling by car and it suddenly brakes several times or on roads where there are various curves or ups and downs.

The main cause of motion sickness is excessive stimulation of the vestibular apparatus due to movement. Each person can be more or less susceptible to this problem.

In addition, visual stimuli such as the moving horizon line or olfactory stimuli such as poor ventilation or excess carbon monoxide can also motivate this problem.

Third, motion sickness can appear due to emotional problems ( anxiety or fear) that act together with movement to accelerate the attack, according to some studies.

Another theory states that it is because the ear is closely related to the central nervous system and the vagus nerve, influencing the activities of the stomach, heart, trachea and salivary glands.

Among the factors that trigger it may be reading, staring at moving objects, consuming alcoholic beverages, poorly ventilated or very closed cabins or bedrooms, pregnancy, menstruation or the intake of some medications, such as contraceptives.

The women are more likely than men to suffer this inconvenience and time, children tend to have more severe symptoms because they have not fully developed all of its systems.

How to avoid motion sickness: tips

• Look towards the horizon but do not fix your gaze on a point that is moving (such as the car in front, the road signs, the sea, etc).
• Lie on your back, if you are on a cruise ship or a train with a bed.
• Stay in a ventilated place, if it is not possible to open the window, put the air conditioning or if you are on a boat, go out to the terrace.
• Avoid making movements with the head, either to the sides or up and down.
• Do not read or stare at a book, magazine, computer, tablet, etc.
• Always look for a seat that is in the middle of the vehicle (this can be used for airplanes or boats). In cars, sit on the side of the window.

• Some drugs can prevent motion sickness, such as antihistamines, diazepam, or scopolamine. Consult with the doctor before, do not ingest them without asking the specialist.
• Always choose the most stable places in the vehicle. In trucks, he’s the one in the middle behind everything.
• When dizziness occurs, it is advisable to close your eyes and place a small pillow under your neck. This will ease the discomfort.
• Do not smoke just before leaving or inside the car if it is allowed.
• Avoid eating heavy before and during the trip. You should at least allow two or three hours for digestion to take place.
• Do not consume alcoholic beverages or soft drinks.

So if you suffer from motion sickness while traveling, write down these tips and put them into practice. They sure work for you!