How to deal with motion sickness

Carsickness, or more correctly, motion sickness, is a common condition where your inner ear, which balances the body, gets confused by repeated motion.

While there’s no known cure, there are a few things you can do to make sure your stomach contents don’t ruin a road trip.

What you eat

Avoid alcohol before and during travel. Also to be avoided would be spicy, heavy or oily foods, as well as consumables that “do not agree with you”.

When the going gets rough, they only compound the problem by getting your stomach involved!

Position

Where you sit is of paramount importance. The best seat is the front passenger, where your eyes are constantly updating your brain and inner ear that yes, you are in fact moving, although you are stationary.

It’s also best if you sit facing the direction of travel.

Do not read

Your eyes should be focused on a fixed point on the horizon. When eyes have to keep trying to focus on words that judder and move with the car, it creates a sense of imbalance. Watching a movie has the same effect.

Listen to an audiobook instead.

It’s contagious

Ever seen someone yawn and then a few moments later you felt the need to yawn? That’s exactly the same way carsickness spreads. Isolate yourself from others who may be feeling car sick, or even just talking about it.

Stop for a while

On long journeys, it is advisable to break the monotony to have some fresh air, some cold water and possibly even a short walk.

Driving style

Smooth driving is always best. While we may have little control over the road surface, a driver who is easy on the brakes and accelerator is much better than one who is always destabilising the car, swerving and braking hard.