How to Combat Motion Sickness: Ginger, Medication, and the Power of Positive Thinking

Motion sickness is a condition that can permanently diminish your enthusiasm for travel and flights. At ZAMONA, we encourage frequent and joyful traveling, so we've gathered several proven methods to help you combat motion sickness.

Anyone who has experienced symptoms of motion sickness in a car, bus, airplane, or boat tends to avoid traveling whenever possible. Sweating, dizziness, head heaviness, fatigue, unpleasant stomach sensations, cold hands, and excessive salivation create an unbearable state. Moreover, these symptoms can culminate in an unpleasant and vivid finale.

Refusing to travel or attend business trips is not a viable option for most, so let’s explore practical ways to alleviate motion sickness and improve your travel experience.

Why Does Motion Sickness Occur?

Motion sickness, scientifically known as kinetosis, arises from a mismatch between the sensations our body perceives and what our brain interprets. The fluids in the inner ear move in sync with the vehicle, and the eyes observe passing objects, but the muscles remain still. This sensory conflict confuses the brain.

In enclosed spaces, like a ship cabin, the sensation of repetitive rocking exists, but the surrounding objects remain stationary—again causing a discrepancy that the brain interprets as incorrect signals.

Why does nausea develop? One hypothesis suggests that the brain, receiving strange impulses and visual cues, assumes hallucinations are occurring. It associates this with the presence of toxins in the body, triggering a response to expel these harmful substances. An intriguing theory, though less charming when you lose your meal...

Almost everyone has experienced motion sickness symptoms to some degree. Some feel it occasionally in cars, buses, or extreme rides, while others may experience dizziness even when taking a high-speed elevator to the twentieth floor of an office building.

A small percentage of people endure these unpleasant sensations almost every time they travel. Unfortunately, there is no magic cure or exercise to permanently retrain the brain’s response to movement, but you can significantly reduce discomfort, and we’ll show you how.

Preparing for Your Journey

A healthy, well-rested, and positive-minded body can better resist adverse factors. If you are ill or have nasal congestion, try to recover before traveling, as these conditions can worsen motion sickness.

Many travelers prone to motion sickness choose not to eat the day before their trip. This approach only intensifies discomfort. It’s essential to eat a light, simple, and healthy meal about two hours before departure.

Foods and Drinks to Avoid:

• Spicy foods;
• Fatty dishes;
• Excessively sweet or salty items;
• Heavy beverages like sugary sodas or milk;
• Alcohol.

Don’t overeat and stay well-hydrated. Some people find relief from nausea by consuming crackers and mineral water or ginger ale.

The Magic of Ginger and Mint Candies

Ginger, widely used to treat colds, is also effective against motion sickness. It reduces nausea and soothes stomach discomfort.

You can consume ginger in various forms:

1. Drink ginger tea or ginger ale, as mentioned earlier.
2. Carry a small piece of fresh ginger root about half a finger’s length and chew it throughout the trip. On flights, chew one piece during takeoff, another mid-flight, and the last one during landing.
3. Bring candied ginger with you.
4. If available, take ginger powder capsules starting a few days before your trip.

Another natural remedy for motion sickness is mint. Many people find relief from mild nausea with mint candies or chewing gum.

Medications for Motion Sickness

If ginger and mint aren’t your preferences or you require stronger support, modern medicine offers effective options:

1. Bonine (active ingredient: meclizine).
2. Dramamine (active ingredient: dimenhydrinate).
3. Medications containing scopolamine.

You can use any medicine containing these active ingredients. These drugs are generally well-tolerated but may cause side effects such as drowsiness, fatigue, blurred vision, or nausea. Notably, scopolamine was once used in the 1920s–30s in the U.S. as a "truth serum," so exercise caution. However, in the doses found in tablets, such effects are unlikely.

Choose the Best Seats in Transportation

Selecting the right seat can sometimes help you avoid taking any medication.

On airplanes, the best seats are in the middle section and near the front, especially by the windows. This allows you to focus your gaze on the horizon, aiding your vestibular system in maintaining balance.

On a ship, choose lower cabins near the center of the vessel. In cars, sit in the front passenger seat. Interestingly, drivers rarely experience motion sickness because they focus ahead and stay alert to road conditions. If you get sick as a passenger and have the chance to drive, take it.

In buses, sit near the front, enabling you to look forward instead of out the side windows. If you feel worse, stand up and move toward the front of the bus.

In all cases, focus your eyes on the horizon line. This helps your brain correctly interpret the motion signals.

Avoid closing your eyes to fight nausea—it often worsens symptoms. Also, refrain from reading, using social media, or playing electronic games, as these activities cause your peripheral vision to catch passing scenery and increase sensory conflict.

Acupressure and the Power of Self-Conviction

People suffering from motion sickness have tried many remedies. Acupressure, pressing a point on the back of the forearm about four finger-widths from the wrist, helps many. Special wristbands apply constant pressure to this point to prevent symptoms.

A study with naval cadets showed that positive self-suggestion reduced motion sickness symptoms. One group was repeatedly told they would not be affected or that any symptoms wouldn’t interfere with their duties. After a five-day voyage, this group reported feeling better and performed better than their peers.

There is truth in this: a positive attitude and good mood significantly improve well-being. To distract yourself from negative thoughts, listen to your favorite music or inhale invigorating scents like mint or ginger.

Motion sickness is one of the most unpleasant challenges you can face during travel. These awful sensations can ruin your vacation, turning scenic views into a search for a paper bag and constant anxiety. We are confident that at least one of the methods described here will help you manage motion sickness and enjoy your journeys to the fullest!

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