Do you know that nauseating feeling that happens when you read a book in the back of a car on a winding road or that you feel while riding on a boat at sea?
This is motion sickness, a phenomenon that occurs when the body becomes overwhelmed with motion and causes dizziness or a queasy feeling in the stomach. To help you understand this feeling better and how to overcome it, here is an overview of motion sickness and now to ease the symptoms naturally.
Causes of Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is caused by conflicting signals in the brain, inner ears, and other body parts. The body can become “confused” as to why certain things are either moving or stationary. This is why you commonly feel motion sickness while riding in a car, boat, train, or airplane. While in transit, your muscles and joints are staying still but the world is moving around you. There can also be this kind of “disconnect” your body experiences while on an amusement park ride or playing a virtual reality video game.
Symptoms of Motion Sickness
Many people are caught off-guard by motion sickness because they feel totally normal one minute and then just suddenly start feeling a bit “off.” Dizziness, nausea, and sweating are the most common symptoms of motion sickness. But some people also feel fatigued, irritable, and are unable to concentrate when that feeling sets in. You might also find yourself having a slight trouble breathing and notice your skin is pale when you are experiencing motion sickness.
Who Gets Motion Sickness?
Honestly, anyone can get motion sickness depending on the circumstances, but some people are more prone to it than others. Children often get motion sickness, although adults who have a family history of it frequently feel it too. Certain conditions, such as migraines, Parkinson’s disease, inner ear disorders, and pregnancy, can make you more prone to motion sickness. Birth control pills and other medications can increase your likelihood of it too.
How to Ease Motion Sickness Naturally
The best-known natural remedy for motion sickness is ginger. You can take ginger supplements in capsule form, eat ginger candies, or chew on raw ginger for relief. Peppermint is also a great herb for overcoming nausea and commonly found in candies, gum, tea, and essential oils.
Another option is to try applying pressure to acupressure points that are linked to nausea sensations in the body. There is a certain place on the inner forearm that you can press with your index finger to see if you feel some relief. Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil may be helpful, as well as calming chamomile tea and licorice root lozenges.
Preventing Motion Sickness in the Future
To avoid the uncomfortable symptoms of motion sickness, there are a few things you can do to keep your body in balance. The best things to eat before traveling and putting yourself at risk of motion sickness are starchy and bland foods that are unlikely to upset your stomach. A non-spicy sandwich on bread or a few crackers are good options. Drinking tea with mint or sucking on a ginger hard candy may help keep your stomach settled while you travel too.
If possible, increase your access to fresh air by rolling down the window or stepping outside. Avoid reading a book or being on your smartphone in a moving vehicle if you are prone to motion sickness. Also, face forward rather than backwards in train cars, consider acupressure wristbands when you travel, and make a point to look at objects outside on the horizon to steady your body’s internal balance.
Motion sickness is very common and affects some people more than others, but it is often easy to overcome and avoid with the few simple and natural techniques described here. Good luck!