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Motion sickness can occur when your senses are not working in harmony. The brain has a hard time managing mixed signals which, in turn, makes us feel sick to our stomach and dizzy. Although symptoms typically do not last long, those unpleasant minutes can feel like forever!

Moments like this can make traveling seem undesirable. In fact, adventures and fun excursions can go missed in fear that motion sickness will strike again!

Consider these remedies, tips, and preventative measures to help curb motion sickness. With this in mind, always consult your doctor before taking any herbal remedies, supplements, or medications.

Car Sick? Remedies to Overcome Motion Sickness on Your Travels

Take the Wheel or Call “Shotgun!” The BEST seat to prevent car sickness is the driver’s seat– with the passenger’s seat coming in second. If you do get stuck in the backseat, try too stay calm and ask for some cool air! Sometimes anxiety can get the best of us before the car even starts moving. It can feel claustrophobic and cramped, which in turn can work ourselves up into panic mode!

Understand the Connection between Brain and Gut. Getting worked up about the trip ahead can initiate those unwanted, queasy feelings. Like said above, our mind plays a huge role in how we feel. There is a powerful connection between the gut and the brain. Ever experience butterflies or a pit in your stomach? Stomach problems are one of the most common symptoms of anxiety. When we stress and worry about car sickness hitting and about the horrible feelings or embarrassing incidents it has caused us, we release hormones and chemicals which take a physical toll on our digestive system.

Calm Your Anxious Stomach.  Never let your brain think you are going to get sick. It may sound silly and seem impossible, but affirmative self-talk really has a large effect on our physical wellbeing. Talking yourself out of it (or helping get kid’s minds off of it) can help prevent or calm extreme car sickness symptoms.

Start an Interesting Conversation. It always helps to get your mind off of things! Dwelling on the nauseous feelings and worries of throwing-up will make the minutes seem like hours and HOURS dragging on. Have your partner or a family member help distract you with conversation. 

Jam Out! Turn on a genre of music you love to help distract you from the car sick feeling. Breaking focus from the bad feelings and listening to the beat and positive vibes can help direct your mind elsewhere.  

Look out the Window. On boats especially, gazing towards the horizon significantly helps motion sickness. The fixed point helps with visual stimulus and re-orient the inner sense of balance.

Get Fresh Air Crack a window or turn up the AC. Fresh or cool air can be a quick remedy to relieve queasiness. 

Put the book down. If you are prone to getting car sick, reading makes it a million times worse… This is due to a sensory disconnect between the inner ear and eyes. Save the good read for later.

Do Not Move about the Motorhome. Just like on boats, motorhomes make it feel like a bobbing, swaying vehicle when moving about the rig. Try not to get up and move while traveling down the road. Plan ahead before taking off. Have a caddy right in between the driver and passenger seats with waters, snacks, napkins, phones, a map, and a phone charger so that you’re less likely to have to get up in the middle of the trip and get these things! 

Do Not Travel on an Empty Stomach. Skip the new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try out the day before your travels. Consume a meal that agrees well with your stomach– something on the bland-er side. For example, don’t go crazy on the hot sauce or dig into a bucket of deep fried foods. Make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated for the trip ahead.

Pack Snacks. Traveling and snacks usually go hand-in-hand! Select snacks such as crackers, cereals, or a banana. Skip foods that are greasy, spicy, heavily seasoned, or acidic on the stomach.

Have Peppermint Essential Oil On Hand. Some researchers believe that Peppermint oil relaxes the gastric muscles. It is suggested that peppermint tea, mints, or even chewing peppermint gum also significantly helps curb nausea. Try Natural Peppermint Tummydrops or add a couple drops of doTERRA – Peppermint Beadlet Essential Oil to a Kleenex and inhale during the ride.  

Pack Ginger Ale. Ginger Ale is always a great go-to! Sipping on this or a flavored seltzer drink can help curb a nauseous stomach. These Canada Dry Ginger Ale, 7.5oz Mini Cans are the perfect size for sipping on a road trip. 

Try Ginger. Speaking of Ginger Ale above, ginger-flavored remedies come in other forms: ginger candies, ginger oil, capsules, crystallized ginger, and tablets. Try these UpSpring Stomach Settle Drops or Natural Ginger Tummydrops.

Apply to Pressure Points. Apply pressure to the pressure point P6 or the Neiguan. It is known for its ability to relieve symptoms from motion sickness. Locate this by applying three fingers’ widths below the wrist crease of the opposite forearm. Place your thumb on the point below these fingers where you feel two tendons. Apply a firm downward pressure to the area.

Test out Sea Bands. Sea Bands are acupressure bands that fit around your wrists applying pressure to the P6 pressure points. Similar to the pressure point method, this bracelet form is convenient, allowing the traveler to receive constant pressure while being able to use both hands freely. 

Consider Motion Sickness Electrical Pulse Bands and Magnets. There are other motion sickness bands out there in the form of wearable technology. One being the Reliefband Classic Motion Sickness Wristband, which uses gentle pulses that send signals through the median nerve under the wrist. These signals travel through the body’s nervous system to part of the brain that controls nausea, thus “turning off” unpleasant feelings of nausea. These bands are a non-drowsy, drug, and side-effect-free option for those suffering from motion sickness and nausea. 

Wear Motion Sickness Car Glasses. Who knew this was a thing?! The Anti-Motion Sickness Smart Liquid Glasses design contains liquid inside of the frame that moves with the movement of the vehicle. This creates an artificial horizon line on the front and side fields of your vision to coordinate visual information with the balance system. Although a bit goofy looking, it’s an idea different from medication or herbal remedies and available to all ages with absolutely no side effects!

Take Dramamine. This is an over-the-counter antihistamine compound used to treat motion sickness and nausea. It is recommended to take the first dose 30 to 60 minutes before travel to prevent motion sickness. Check out the non-drowsy option– Dramamine All Day Less Drowsy Motion Sickness Relief.

Ask Your Doctor about Motion Sickness Patches. Those who suffer from frequent motion sickness and are at a loss with other remedies, may find relief with Scopolamine patches. These prescription patches can prevent nausea. Talk to your doctor about other motion sickness medications as well.

Get Your Eyes Checked. If you experience motion sickness repeatedly it may be in your best interest to get your eyes checked. A vision problem could be the cause of motion sickness. This is due to inaccurate visual information leading to the feeling of being off balance. 

Get Your Ears Checked. Motion sickness can be a disturbance of the inner ear. The vestibular system controls our sense of balance, orientation in space, posture, and focus as the body moves. Talk to your doctor about the symptoms you have been experiencing as this could be an underlying factor. 

Keep in mind, it is extremely important to always consult your doctor before using any kind of self-therapy or taking any supplement, herbal remedy, or medication!

Typically, motion sickness is more of a temporary, annoying feeling. Cases are generally mild but can be severe to where there may be an underlying factor. Nonetheless, if you are experiencing frequent car sickness, consider the above remedies and prevention methods. Talk to your doctor if it is really affecting your life to where you have a hard time traveling or enjoying trips. There are treatments out there to overcome this so that you can get out there and TRAVEL!

RVING IS BEING joyful on the journey