Motion Sickness: What Can Help Against Nausea While Travelling

Motion sickness, also called kinetosis, describes nausea, dizziness, pallor, increased salivation, cold sweat, tiredness or headache that can occur in a car, bus, train, plane or on a ship. It arises when the eyes and the organ of balance report conflicting signals to the brain. Some people react very sensitively, others hardly at all. The good news: with the right choice of seat, a gaze fixed on a steady point and a few simple preparations, the symptoms can be considerably eased for most people. This guide explains how motion sickness develops, what reliably helps while travelling, what to bear in mind when eating and when a medical assessment makes sense.

What lies behind motion sickness?

For our balance, the brain constantly evaluates several sources of information at once: the eyes, the organ of balance in the inner ear and the feedback from muscles and joints. As long as these signals match, a coherent picture of movement and position in space emerges. When moving in a vehicle, however, the signals sometimes do not match. Anyone who looks at their phone or a book in the car, for example, sees a page at rest while the inner ear registers acceleration, braking and bends. This contradiction confuses the brain and can trigger nausea.

How strongly someone reacts is very individual and partly a matter of predisposition. Children between about two and twelve years are often more sensitive, as are people who tend towards migraine or are pregnant. External factors such as stuffy air, unpleasant smells, heat, cigarette smoke, anxiety, overtiredness or a very full stomach can also intensify the symptoms. The nausea often builds up slowly, which is why early countermeasures are especially effective. Anyone who knows their personal triggers can take targeted preventive action.

When to seek a medical assessment

Motion sickness is harmless in itself and usually subsides quickly on its own once the journey ends. A medical assessment is nevertheless sensible if dizziness or nausea occur independently of travelling, are very frequent or very severe, are accompanied by persistent vomiting and threatening fluid loss, or are accompanied by symptoms such as ringing in the ears, reduced hearing, visual disturbances or unusual headaches. Such signs may point to another cause in the area of the inner ear or the balance system.

Before taking travel medications too - especially for children, during pregnancy, while breastfeeding or with existing conditions - medical or pharmaceutical advice is advisable, since some remedies cause tiredness or are not suitable for every age group. This helps to clarify whether kinetosis is really present or whether another cause is possible and which prevention suits the individual case.

What can help while travelling

Many simple measures target exactly the conflict of the senses and often work preventively. These have proven effective:

• Choose a calm seat: in the car at the front, in the bus well forward, in the train facing the direction of travel, in the plane over the wings, on the ship amidships at mid-height.
• Sit facing the direction of travel and direct your gaze forward onto a fixed, distant point or the horizon.
• Do not read during the journey, do not look at your phone and do not focus on nearby objects.
• Ensure fresh air, open a window or use the ventilation, avoid unpleasant smells and do not let it get too warm.
• Eat only lightly before the journey and avoid greasy, very heavy meals as well as alcohol.
• At the first signs, take a break early, get out, go into the fresh air and walk a few steps.

Some people find calm, slow breathing, distraction through music or conversation, or a short nap helpful, because the disturbing visual stimuli then fall away and the body comes to rest. For children it can help to let them sit up higher and look forward, to plan breaks in good time and not to let them eat too heavily before the journey. It is important to stay relaxed, because fear of the nausea can intensify it.

Food and drinks while travelling

A stomach that is too full, just like a completely empty one, can encourage nausea. A small, light meal before the journey is sensible, such as dry biscuits, rusks, a banana or some mild fruit. During the journey, small sips of still water or unsweetened tea are suitable to calm the stomach and prevent dehydration. Greasy, heavily spiced or very sweet foods and alcohol are unfavourable before and during the journey. Anyone prone to motion sickness plans meals so that the stomach is neither overloaded nor completely empty, and takes light snacks along for longer trips. On the evening before a journey too, it is worth avoiding very fatty food and larger amounts of alcohol and getting enough sleep, because overtiredness can increase sensitivity the next day. Cool, still drinks are felt by many to be more pleasant than warm or heavily sweetened ones.

Plants and home remedies in focus

For nausea while travelling, ginger is traditionally used, for example as tea, as candied pieces, as a sweet or in capsules. Many travellers value it as a natural companion and take it even before setting off. However, robust, generally applicable evidence of its effect is limited, and tolerability varies from person to person. Peppermint is also traditionally used for an upset stomach, for example as tea. Such home remedies can complement the everyday measures mentioned, but do not replace medical advice and do not work the same for everyone. For severe or recurring symptoms there are also pharmacy-only or prescription remedies against motion sickness, whose use should be discussed with a pharmacy or medical practice - especially with regard to side effects such as tiredness.

Motion sickness in children

Children between about two and twelve years react particularly often sensitively to travel movement, because their balance system is still developing. For families it is therefore worth preparing longer journeys well. A raised child seat that allows a forward view out of the window is helpful, as is avoiding books, tablets and phones during the journey, since looking down encourages nausea.

Regular breaks in the fresh air, light snacks instead of lavish meals and drinking enough prevent problems. Distraction through music, audio stories or looking out of the window together can help to shift the focus away from the discomfort. If a child shows first signs such as pallor, whining or falling silent, an early break is sensible. Before giving travel medications to children, medical or pharmaceutical advice should always be obtained, since not every remedy is suitable for every age group and some cause tiredness. With a little planning, car journeys and flights can be made considerably more pleasant for children.

Honestly assessed

Motion sickness can rarely be switched off completely, but for most people it can be considerably eased. The most effective levers are simple and cost nothing: the right choice of seat, a gaze forward onto a fixed point or the horizon, fresh air and consistently avoiding reading and the phone during the journey. Plant-based home remedies such as ginger can accompany this, but are no guarantee of freedom from symptoms. Anyone who suffers severely despite all measures will find suitable remedies at the pharmacy and should have their use professionally assessed. With a little preparation and a few deliberately used habits, the next journey becomes considerably more pleasant for most people, and the fear of the nausea loses its weight. Anyone who regularly suffers from severe motion sickness should discuss once, at leisure, with the pharmacy or medical practice which prevention suits their own case best. This text serves as information and does not replace medical advice.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why do I feel sick when driving in a car?

Because the eyes and the organ of balance report conflicting signals to the brain. When reading, the eye sees a still page while the inner ear registers the movement of the vehicle. This contradiction can trigger nausea.

Which seat is best?

A calm seat facing the direction of travel: in the car at the front, in the plane over the wings, on the ship amidships. A gaze forward onto a fixed point or the horizon is important.

Does ginger help against travel nausea?

Ginger is traditionally used for nausea while travelling and is felt by many to be pleasant. Tolerability is individual, and it can complement the everyday measures mentioned, but does not replace medical advice.

Should I eat before the journey?

Yes, but only lightly. A very full or a completely empty stomach can encourage nausea. Dry biscuits or some fruit before the journey and small sips of water along the way are favourable.

When should I see a doctor?

If dizziness or nausea occur independently of travelling, are very severe or frequent, are accompanied by persistent vomiting or are accompanied by ringing in the ears, reduced hearing or visual disturbances.