What are the symptoms of motion sickness?
Common symptoms of motion sickness include:
- Nausea or feeling sick
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Headache
- Cold sweats
- Feeling tired or sleepy
- In some cases, vomiting
What causes motion sickness?
Motion sickness happens when your brain gets confused by the signals it receives about movement. For example, your inner ear senses motion, but your eyes may not see any movement if you are reading a book or looking at a screen. This confusion can lead to the symptoms of motion sickness.
How common is motion sickness?
Motion sickness is quite common. Many people experience it at some point in their lives. It can happen to anyone, but it is more common in children, especially between the ages of 2 and 12.
Who is more likely to get motion sickness?
Some factors can make someone more likely to experience motion sickness:
- Being a child or a teenager
- Having a family history of motion sickness
- Being prone to anxiety or migraines
- Having a cold or any nasal congestion
How can I treat motion sickness?
There are several ways to help with motion sickness, including:
- Medications that can be taken before travel (such as cyclizine or promethazine)
- Ginger tea or ginger candies
- Taking breaks and getting fresh air while travelling
- Focusing on the horizon or a stable point
- Resting your eyes or closing them
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How to prevent motion sickness?
Here are a few tips to help prevent motion sickness:
- Choose a seat where you feel the least motion, like the front seat of a car or the wings of a plane
- Avoid reading or looking at screens while in motion
- Eat light meals before travelling
- Stay hydrated, but avoid too much alcohol or heavy meals before travel
Final thoughts
Motion sickness can be an uncomfortable experience, but there are ways to manage and prevent it. If you have concerns about motion sickness or its impact on your life, speak to your GP or healthcare provider.
