You look forward to your vacation for months. Your suitcase is packed. And you quickly watered the plants once. Ready to go! And then .. you get that annoying motion sickness again. What is it and what can you do about it?
About 1 in 3 people sometimes get travel sick. A lot. There is a good chance that you have also felt nauseous, sick or even sick in a bus, car or plane. What exactly is motion sickness and better yet:can it be prevented or alleviated?
Also read:'4 ways to water your plants when you go on holiday'
Yes, you do feel sick. But really classifying it as a disease is impossible. It can be explained as a reaction of your body. Your body responding to deviant movements. Your vestibular system plays a major role in this. It does register movement, while your eyes perceive something else. This is especially evident in an airplane or on a boat, for example. Your brain – and thus the organ of balance, your eyes and your poor stomach – know that the vehicle is moving, but can no longer order and process things properly, because your horizon does not match the feeling.
Children have a more sensitive vestibular system than adults. Yet they are much more often placed in the back seat of the car, for example on the way to the campsite in France. Add to that the fact that tablet use or the coloring book in the back is a must. Not surprising that some parents invariably have to deal with spitting kiddos. Best tip:let the children look outside a lot and preferably also see the horizon.
To prevent or limit motion sickness as much as possible, you should drink plenty of fluids. And no alcoholic drinks. Avoid strong, pungent odors such as heavy perfume or cigarette smoke while traveling. Always provide plenty of fresh air. And, if possible, opt for as little 'extra' movement as possible. Is the ship you're sailing on swaying? Then stand on the deck and keep your eye on the horizon. Are you traveling by car? Try to arrange a car without too good suspension. And sit in the front. Also important:start your journey well rested. Being tired exacerbates motion sickness.
And of course there are all kinds of pills and patches on the market that can provide relief. Perhaps you have already tried such a plaster behind your ear. At the pharmacy, you can also get a wristband that applies pressure to a nerve point to prevent nausea. And finally, ginger is a fine and harmless remedy to try to prevent or reduce a sick feeling. Ginger tablets are also available.
