Science behind travel sickness

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Travel sickness is something almost everyone will experience at least once. Photo / Supplied

Travel sickness is something almost everyone will experience at least once. Photo / Supplied

Bumps, tight corners and long winding roads ... just the thought can make some people feel ill. Travel sickness is something almost everyone will experience at least once during their life, and it’s safe to say it isn’t pleasant.

Travel sickness is caused by sensory confusion. Your eyes and inner ears get conflicting signals about the movement going on around you, much like the sensation if you spun around in a circle.

When you’re in a closed space such as a car, you tend to focus on objects inside the vehicle. Your eyes tell your brain the environment is stationary, but your balance organs say it is not.

Because it’s easier to prevent motion sickness than to deal with its symptoms in the moment, we have put together five helpful tips to avoid vomiting.

Eat right
Travelling on an empty stomach can increase the chance of sickness, so make sure to eat something light about 45-60 minutes before you set off. If you’re planning to be on the road for a long time, pack some snacks that are low in fat and acid — we all know how tempting it is to pop into the bakery or petrol station and full up on greasy goodness, but these fatty foods are known to cause nausea or worsen travel sickness. Spicy foods should also be avoided.

Choose the best seat
If you can, offer to drive. Drivers are less likely to suffer from motion sickness because their focus is firmly fixed outside on the road ahead, rather than objects close by.

Passengers prone to travel sickness should sit in the front whenever they can.
As for children, try to give them a good viewing point, so they can look out of the window — perhaps using pillows to raise them a bit if they are short.

Avoid reading
Focusing on something up close while travelling has been known to cause nausea; whether you’re reading a book, checking your horoscope or streaming the Football World Cup live on your phone. Instead of staring down, try keep your sight fixed on the beautiful New Zealand scenery outside.

If you have young children obsessed with their phones and tablets, do your best to entertain them in other ways such as the classic car games (I spy with my little eye), music or even podcasts.

Keep it fresh
Strong scents such as perfumes or car fresheners are likely to make you feel worse.

As we mentioned earlier, avoid eating smelly snacks and try to keep the vehicle odourless.

Stuffy, hot conditions can also have an impact on travel sickness.

Even on cold mornings, avoid making the cabin excessively hot with the heater, especially on recirculated air. Open the windows when you can and get fresh air circulating around the cabin.

And of course, there’s no better fresh air than the air outside, so take breaks along the way and stretch your legs.

Magic pills
Travel sickness tablets such as Sea-legs are specially formulated to provide relief whether travelling by car, boat, plane or bus and are available without prescription. If you’re the one doing the driving however, be warned that they can make you drowsy.

Antihistamines, such as cinnarizine and cyclizine, can also help. Always consult a doctor before taking medication.

For those who prefer a more natural option, you can try ginger tablets or wearing acupressure bands on your wrists.

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