• Dizziness

How to Get Rid of Motion Sickness: Simple Tips to Feel Better

Medically reviewed and edited by Dina Whiteaker, APRN

Whether it’s turbulence on a plane trip, a bumpy bus ride, or a day out on the ocean, motion sickness can strike at any time. 

If you experience motion sickness while traveling, you’re not alone. Around 25% of people are in the same boat. 

Fortunately, by using the right strategies, you can reduce motion sickness and feel better while you’re on the go.

In this article, we’ll guide you through what motion sickness is and the symptoms most people experience. We’ll also share some practical tips to help you deal with this condition.

What Causes Motion Sickness?

Motion sickness occurs when your brain gets mixed signals from your eyes, inner ear, and muscles about your movement as you travel.

When you’re in a moving vehicle, your eyes, inner ear, and body send different information to your brain, which causes confusion.

For example, if you're reading a book in a moving vehicle, your eyes tell your brain you're not moving because you're focused on the book, but your inner ear senses the motion. This mismatch can make you feel motion sick.

Motion Sickness Symptoms

The most common symptoms of motion sickness include:

Dizziness

Dizziness or lightheadedness occurs because of the conflict between your brain and your inner ear. 

The vestibular system detects changes while you’re moving, but the brain thinks you’re in a stationary position. The brain then interprets conflicting information as a sensation of spinning or swaying, which may result in dizziness.

Fatigue

When the brain receives conflicting information from the eyes, inner ear, and body, it has to work harder to process mismatched signals. This takes extra effort and can lead to mental fatigue.

The confusion in the sensory signals can activate the body’s stress response — also known as the fight-or-flight response — resulting in the release of adrenaline and other stress hormones in the body.

This heightened state of alertness caused by the stress response can be physically draining, which can cause fatigue as the body’s resources are depleted.

Headaches

The brain’s ongoing attempt to process and reconcile conflicting sensory inputs can strain the organ, resulting in a headache. 

The stress response mentioned above can lead to the widening or narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain, which can also cause headaches.

This response can increase your blood pressure and cause muscle tension, which are both associated with headache symptoms.

Irritability

The brain’s effort to reconcile conflicting sensory information is exhausting and can lead to frustration and irritability. 

Persistent nausea and dizziness can create a cycle of physical discomfort. This unease makes it hard to concentrate and relax, which could make you feel irritable.

The headaches resulting from motion sickness can also contribute to physical discomfort, which may lead to irritability.

Nausea and vomiting

The brain’s attempt to deal with the discrepancy between the inner ear’s signals and the visual input can result in nausea, which is a natural response to the confusion outlined above.

The brain's vomiting center — called the medulla oblongata — is activated by signals from the vestibular system. Sensory conflict stimulates this part of the brain, leading to nausea and the urge to vomit.

Rapid breathing

As previously mentioned, motion sickness can cause a stress response in the body. This stress response is often accompanied by rapid breathing.

Rapid breathing increases oxygen intake and expels carbon dioxide from the body as a part of the stress response. Because there is no physical threat, the response is unnecessary and can cause symptoms that worsen motion sickness, such as rapid breathing.

Sweating

The fight-or-flight response triggered by motion sickness activates the sympathetic nervous system, stimulating the sweat glands and making you sweat more.

The release of adrenaline during the stress response increases the heart rate and stimulates sweating as the body prepares to respond to a stressor.

9 Ways to Manage Motion Sickness

Now that you know more about this condition, let’s look at some practical ways you can prevent motion sickness symptoms: 

Consider driving yourself

If you are traveling in a car, consider doing the driving yourself. Your senses and brain may work better if you are driving instead of being a passenger.

Face the right direction

Facing the direction you’re traveling in may help relieve the symptoms of motion sickness. It aligns sensory inputs and minimizes the sensory conflict that causes motion sickness.

When you face the direction you’re traveling, your eyes can see the movement that matches the motion detected by your inner ear. This alignment helps your brain process consistent signals from both the visual and vestibular systems.

Focus your eyes

Focusing on a stationary object in the distance or keeping your eyes on the horizon can help stabilize visual input. When you focus on a stationary object or fixed point, your eyes provide a consistent and stable visual reference to your brain. 

This helps align the visual input with the sense of motion by your inner ear, reducing sensory conflict.

Get fresh air

Fresh air increases oxygen intake, which may help to reduce feelings of nausea and dizziness associated with motion sickness. 

Higher oxygen levels can improve blood oxygenation, making it easier for your brain and body to function normally.

We know your mode of transport may not always allow you to get fresh air. Consider turning on the fan in the vehicle or angling your air vents toward you. 

You may also want to purchase a small hand-held fan to blow air on you.

Eat a light snack

Consuming a light snack like saltine crackers, bread, apples, or bananas may ease nausea symptoms. Avoid greasy or acidic foods, as these could worsen your motion sickness.

Drink something

As you travel, take regular sips of water or a carbonated beverage. This may help to ease your nausea. Avoid caffeinated beverages, which could contribute to dehydration and make you feel more nauseous. 

Avoid screens

Focusing on a screen, like a smartphone or tablet, can increase the sensory conflict that leads to symptoms of motion sickness.

Looking at a screen while in motion creates conflict between what your eyes see and what your vestibular system feels. The content of your screen remains static relative to your field of vision, but your body is experiencing motion. This can make you feel motion sick.

Choose the right seat

Where you sit or sleep in a vehicle while traveling may help you feel less motion sick. Here’s where you should try to sit when going on a trip to avoid motion sickness:

• Boat: Sit in the middle of the boat on the upper deck.

• Bus: Choose a window seat.

• Car: If you’re not driving, sit in the front passenger seat.

• Plane: Sit in the wing section on the window side.

• Train: Choose a forward-facing window seat.

• Cruise ship: Choose a cabin toward the front or middle of the ship on a lower level.

Try over-the-counter (OTC) medications

You may want to take OTC medications such as an antihistamine — like dimenhydrinate — before traveling, as these medications may help to reduce motion sickness. 

There are also OTC patches that you can get to prevent nausea and vomiting. You stick the patch behind your ear before traveling. 

Natural Remedies to Try for Motion Sickness

There are some natural remedies you could try that may help with motion sickness, including:

• Pressure points: Stimulating an acupressure point in the wrist called the Nei Guan may provide some relief from motion sickness. You can do this by placing your right hand's index, middle, and ring fingers on the inside of your left wrist.

• Aromatherapy: Inhaling peppermint essential oil may be helpful if you are experiencing nausea. 

• Tea: Ginger and chamomile tea may help soothe nausea and make you feel better.

When Should You Seek Medical Attention for Motion Sickness?

Motion sickness isn’t a serious medical issue, but you should seek medical attention if you experience:

• Persistent or chronic nausea and vomiting

• Motion sickness symptoms when you’re not in motion

• Any signs of dehydration

Where Can I Learn More about Motion Sickness?

At LifeMD, you can consult a healthcare professional about motion sickness and other health conditions.

A team of board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners can offer advice and guidance to help you feel better.

Make your online appointment today.

Dina Whiteaker, APRN

Dina earned her MSN from the University of Nebraska Medical Center before becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has 10ᐩ years of telemedicine experience. Dina is board certified and is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

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