What is motion sickness and how does it happen?

Do you ever get nauseated or dizzy while travelling? If so, you are most likely among the many people who experience some form of motion sickness. Motion sickness is usually a mild affliction that occurs to those travelling on anything from cars to boats to trains but also to those travelling by aircraft. While motion sickness can happen to anyone, it effects certain individuals regularly.

Read on to find out what motion sickness is and what you can do to avoid it.

What is motion sickness?

Motion sickness is an illness that is usually experienced during long periods of travel. Its symptoms include a feeling of dizziness and the feeling you are about the throw up. Other less common symptoms are an increase in saliva, a loss of appetite and a sudden pallid look to the skin. Almost everyone is at least potentially susceptible to motion sickness, though many may go their whole lives without ever experiencing it, and others may be habitual sufferers. The only true exceptions however are certain individuals who lack the motion-sensing organs whose malfunction is actually at the root of motion sickness. Children and pregnant women are far more likely to experience motion sickness than other groups. In fact, research indicates that women who have experienced motion sickness before their pregnancy are more likely to vomit in general during their pregnancy.

What causes motion sickness?

Essentially, motion sickness is the result of a miscommunication in the body between various motion sensing organs- in particular the inner ear and the eyes. The brain receives signals from both these organs with information about things like whether you are moving. However, in certain circumstances, such as on a plane, the brain can get confused as your eyes will indicate that you are not moving while your inner ear will perceive the fact that you are actually moving through space at incredibly high speeds. It is this dissonance that cause symptoms such as nausea and dizziness.

How to prevent motion sickness while flying

There are several steps you can take to prevent motion sickness if it is a concern for you. Asking for a window seat on your next flight is a great help as it will offer your eyes a chance to perceive the same motion that your inner ear is experiencing. However, if you are stuck on the aisle, don’t despair! Focusing on something like your breathing can also help. This also has the added benefit of deepening your breath to counter the shallow breathing that motion sickness can cause.

Avoid activities that fixate your vision on something very close, such as reading or using a smartphone for long periods. A settled stomach is also a strong ally, so avoid greasy or acidic foods. Dehydration is also a factor, so make sure to drink plenty of water.

If motion sickness is a severe concern, there are also a number of behavioral therapy options available that may help to reduce the symptoms or eliminate the problem altogether. Your doctor may also prescribe one of a number of medications that are available.

How to get rid of motion sickness while flying or after the flight

If you have already begun to feel the effects of motion sickness, there are a number of steps you can take. Closing your eyes or meditating can help, while certain individuals find relief from mild motion sickness by chewing gum. Natural remedies include raw ginger and peppermint tea.

Normally, the symptoms of motion sickness only last as long as the journey itself. However, if they do not, a few steps to try are focusing on the horizon or moving to an area with a plentiful supply of fresh air. Acupuncture practitioners also describe a process of stimulating a certain point on the wrist with the fingers which some research suggests may help abate the symptoms of motion sickness.

Now that you know what motion sickness is, what causes it and how you can take steps to deal with it, book your next adventure using our website. Need a little advice or a push in the right direction? Take a little inspiration from our blog. For everything to do with travel, try BudgetAir.com.