Good to know - How travel sickness occurs and what helps against it
A swaying ship, a rocking bus, or a winding car ride can make the journey a real challenge for many, as motion sickness sets in. Children are most commonly affected by motion sickness during travel, but adults can also have a rough time on their vacations. Around five to ten percent of people react particularly sensitively to the movements during travel. Women are statistically more often affected than men. How motion sickness occurs and how to keep it under control.
Motion sickness is just a symptom of motion sickness, also known as seasickness in medicine. Other symptoms that may occur include headaches, sweating, dizziness, paleness, rapid breathing, and vomiting. These symptoms can be caused by car rides, turbulent flights, or boat rides. Seasickness, a form of motion sickness, particularly affects many travelers.
Contradictory stimuli in the brain cause motion sickness
However, the reason why people get sick during travel is not related to the stomach. If the bus shakes properly or the backseat of a car is bounced back and forth, it can disrupt the sense of balance. The result: motion sickness. To maintain balance, the body relies on information from the balance organ in the inner ear and what the eyes see. However, when the eye and inner ear send contradictory information, the unfortunate companion is the result. In other words, motion sickness or headaches during travel are not a classical disease. It is a response of the body to the many contradictory stimuli.
Who notices the first signs during the journey, such as headaches or increased salivation, can counteract directly: The gaze should be directed better out of the window onto the road or a fixed point on the horizon. Reading a book or being occupied with the smartphone can, however, worsen nausea and dizziness.
Who is familiar with the unpleasant symptoms from previous vacations can preventively take ginger. Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that ginger can alleviate and prevent motion sickness. Two grams of fresh ginger should be taken daily several days before the journey begins. This also works in the form of ginger tea. Fresh ginger should be steeped in a cup of hot water for six minutes. For the car ride on vacation, travelers can take the ginger tea in a thermos flask and drink it when they feel sick. Similarly, distracting oneself or opening the car windows can help. Before the journey, it is best to take light and digestible food with you.
The right seat selection can play a role
The right seat selection can also play a role in preventing motion sickness. Sitting in the front seat or near a window can help reduce motion sickness. The brain can better process the visual information it receives when looking outside. Sitting in the back seat or in the middle of the bus can make motion sickness worse, as the brain has a harder time processing the conflicting visual information. Additionally, sitting facing backward can also increase the risk of motion sickness. Therefore, when booking a train or plane ticket, it is worth considering the seat selection to reduce the risk of motion sickness.
The discomfort of travel will not pass, it can help to lie down calmly on a stable surface and close one's eyes, allowing the balance system to return to equilibrium. There are also medications that can help with travel sickness. Stiftung Warentest recommends, for prevention in adults and adolescents, these two active ingredients: Diphenhydramine and Scopolamin. These active ingredients can prevent nausea and vomiting.
The right seating position can also play a role in whether one feels sick. Those traveling by bus should ideally sit facing the direction of travel and near a window. The movements are least in the middle of the bus – this can help. In a car, the passenger seat should be moved behind the driver's seat. In an airplane, a seat near the wings can help. Those who hate long flights or car rides should try to sleep through them. Time passes faster and travel sickness is less of a problem. Visual stimuli fade away and the vestibular sense is largely inactive.
Further reading:
- Why do many women get a chin beard as they age?
- Why does coffee make us go to the bathroom
- What's behind the annoying twitching of the eye?
- Why does the stomach growl – not just when hungry.
Men can also experience motion sickness during travel, albeit less frequently than women. Some children may outgrow their susceptibility to motion sickness as they get older. Anticipation for a vacation or journey can sometimes worsen symptoms of motion sickness due to heightened anxiety. Ginger is not only effective for preventing seasickness but also for reducing symptoms of car sickness or flight sickness. The right choice of seat can significantly impact the likelihood of experiencing motion sickness; for example, sitting in the front seat of a car or plane or near a window can help.
