When you’re in vacation mode, the last thing you want to think about is getting car sickness, that awful queasy feeling that hits you every time you get on the highway. About one in three people are highly susceptible to motion sickness while traveling in a car, plane, or boat. (It can also happen on a roller coaster, on the ski slope, or while wearing virtual reality goggles.)
When traveling, a mismatch between what you see and the movements your brain senses through your vestibular system (a set of fluid-filled tubes and nerves in the inner ear that your body uses to sense your location in space) can make you sweat and feel dizzy, as well as cause headaches, nausea and vomiting. “In certain situations, this can be even worse if the movements are more erratic or jerky, or if you can’t control them.” Sunana Sohee, MDCertified Gastroenterologist Gastroenterology Health Partners “I was so shocked,” a woman from Louisville, Kentucky told SELF.
If it does happen, the best way to stop it is to take action. in front (According to experts we spoke to, it’s nearly impossible to cure once you’ve been in the driver’s seat.) Here are some tips to prevent car sickness before, during, and after your drive so you can feel your best when you arrive at your destination.
1. Drive, or at least be the passenger.
You may have noticed that you are less likely to get car sick when you are driving and in control of the car’s speed and movement. This is because, when you sit in the front seat, you are closest to the road in front of you, have a direct line of sight to the car’s movement, and can predict when it will occur, according to the study. Morgan A. Senjishu Shane, MDHe is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Gastroenterology. UHealth Comprehensive Women’s Health Alliance.
If you don’t like sitting in the driver’s seat (or don’t have a driver’s license), make sure you sit in a position that allows you to have a clear view of the road at eye level and focus on the horizon, Dr. Shane tells SELF. That could be the passenger seat or a center seat in the back. If you’re traveling on a plane or train, book a window seat for the same reason. You can also press your head firmly against the seatback.
2. Don’t look at your phone or read a book
If you were prone to car sickness as a child, your parents probably told you not to read books while traveling. That’s because a lack of visual information, like the view outside the window, can make the symptoms worse. The same goes for scrolling through your phone or any other activity that keeps you from looking ahead and understanding where your body is moving. A trip can seem super boring, especially if you’re stuck in the car for hours, but it doesn’t have to be. Finding something to distract you might help ease your symptoms. A good time to listen to an audiobook, your favorite podcast, or a Taylor Swift playlist.
3. Try over-the-counter and home remedies
As we’ve said, a lot of people get carsick, so there are a lot of methods you can try. Some of these are more scientifically backed than others, but experience tells us they often work. For example, sucking on a ginger lozenge might help, as might over-the-counter anti-nausea medications. Dramine, for example, is Ginger lozenges You can buy it on Amazon for around $10, Dimenhydrinate (Approximately $8 for a pack of 8) or Meclizine (A non-drowsy formulation costs about $4 for a pack of eight tablets.) Both are FDA-approved antihistamines for motion sickness. Bonine(About $14 for a table of 32) Stock up for the worst case scenario. Disposable vomit bag ($7, Amazon) makes traveling a little less stressful.
