21 ways to beat travel sickness
So you’ve set out on your travels in search of a tan, a rest, and maybe some adventure. But before you even reach your destination, you find yourself lumbered with pale skin, dizziness and nausea. Of course, you know this feeling from before – it’s the dreaded motion sickness that’s long blighted journeys by road, sea, or air.
Travel sickness is a common condition, though which means friendly advice and folk wisdom abound on the internet. While there’s no universal remedy, there are plenty of effective tips to help you reach your destination before you reach for that paper bag – and with a bit of trial and error, you can soon tailor a travel routine that minimizes suffering.
To start with, you can mount your defences before even leaving home by eating lightly, trying motion sickness tablets or antihistamines, and packing anything that will make the journey more comfortable for you – sucky sweets and gum come highly recommended! During the journey, getting physical can offset the weirdness of travel motion: mindful breathing and a stroll along the deck, aisle or service station forecourt can trick your body into forgetting what’s going on. And try fixing your eyes on the horizon or a distant object – in addition to reducing queasiness, people will think you’re deep in thought and stop pestering you with tiresome observations (okay, that last bit’s my own folk wisdom).
Science isn’t even 100% sure what causes motion sickness – and far less found a cure. But by combining tips from well-wishing travellers who’ve been through the same, you can significantly improve your travel experience. Check out the infographic below by Dive.In: popular solutions from the worldly-wise web have been totted up and cross-referenced to provide a no-nonsense primer for managing the condition – and making it a happy holiday after all.
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