If you experience motion sickness while driving, you may be very anxious during the trip. Getting drunk while driving can seriously interfere with your trip or fun activities with friends. Motion sickness is one of the various types of motion sickness (or kinetosis) that some people experience when driving a car. Dizziness, fatigue, cold sweats, and nausea are common symptoms of motion sickness. So, how do you prevent motion sickness? Follow these simple tips and tricks so you can enjoy your trip without getting drunk.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Changing Habits While Traveling
Step 1. Sit in the front seat of the car
Doctors believe that motion sickness is caused by a mismatch between what your eyes see and how your body interprets the motion of the vehicle. For example, if your eyes see the car seat in front of you, but your body senses the turns and speed of the vehicle moving, your inner ear can be irritated. This will then cause the nausea and dizziness that are the hallmarks of motion sickness. To avoid this feeling, try focusing your eyes on the road in front of you so that your eyes and your body can interpret the same information. By sitting in the front seat, you will feel less mismatch between what you see and how your body interprets the movement of the vehicle.
Driving your own car has the added benefit of keeping you focused on something, which can distract you from your hangover. However, sitting next to the driver's seat can also help reduce motion sickness
Step 2. Focus your eyes on the horizon
Focusing your eyes on a visual point that remains in front of you will help keep your eyes, inner ear, and nerves under control. Look out the front window of the car, and look for a steady point on the horizon somewhere in the distance. You can make a mountain, tree, building, or point in the sky your visual point. Focus all your visual attention on that point. Keep your eyes on that point even if the vehicle goes through bumps, turns, and hills. Resist your temptation to look out the side window: look only out the front window.
If you're the one driving the vehicle, make sure you pay attention to the road and the cars around you while keeping your eyes on the horizon in front of you
Step 3. Stay calm
Creating good, cool air circulation in the vehicle can help reduce hangovers and relieve symptoms such as sweating and nausea. If possible, open the car window to let the wind blow into the car. In addition, you can also turn on the car fan or air conditioner. Aim the air vents at the face to get the benefits.
Ventilation can also help reduce food odors in the car. Motion sickness can be made worse by strong food odors
Step 4. Stabilize your head
Sometimes it's hard to keep your eyes focused on one point when the car is moving. To stabilize your gaze, make sure your head is steady too. Rest your head on the headrest behind you to keep your head steady. A neck pillow can also help keep your head -- as well as your gaze -- steady.
Step 5. Take frequent breaks
Get out of the car to stretch your legs. Sit on a bench or under a tree and take deep breaths through your mouth to help you relax. This is important to do during the trip, especially long-distance trips with many winding roads. Taking a short break from the trip not only helps relieve motion sickness, it's also good for drivers to take a break every once in a while. Continue the journey when you feel better and if the dizziness and nausea subsides.
Step 6. Try to sleep
Sleeping while motion sickness is also good for car passengers. You won't notice the difference between visual information and the signals your body sends because your eyes are closed. Many people feel that sleep is the best way to go on a long car trip without getting motion sickness.
If you're having trouble sleeping in the car, consider taking sleeping pills. But if you use sleeping pills, make sure you don't need to drive the car all the way
Step 7. Focus on something else
Diversions are a great way to reduce motion sickness, especially for children or people who have to sit in the back seat. Take your mind off the dizziness and nausea by listening to music, singing, or playing a game of 20 questions with other passengers.
Step 8. Keep books, cell phones and other devices away
Motion sickness will worsen if you concentrate on visual objects that are in the car, not outside the car. Viewing books, mobile phone games, electronic reading media, or tablet computers can increase the discrepancy between the eyes and the rest of the body. To prevent motion sickness, make sure you focus your eyes only on objects outside the car, on the horizon in front of you.
- There are many people who experience motion sickness just by reading in the car. Make sure this doesn't happen to you!
- Audiobooks, car radios, and CDs are all great ways to entertain yourself in the car without causing motion sickness.
Step 9. Breathe deeply
Motion sickness will worsen due to feelings of anxiety and nervousness. Relaxation techniques such as slow, slow breathing exercises can help slow your heart rate and relax your body, making it less likely that you will experience motion sickness symptoms.
Step 10. Avoid uneven roads
The smoother your ride, the less likely you are to experience motion sickness. For a smooth ride, drive on freeways rather than city streets where you need to brake frequently and make sure your car's shock absorbers are of good quality. The route of travel also needs to be considered. You can avoid hilly roads or mountains by going around hilly areas. Try to pass the road as evenly as possible.
Driving during off-peak hours can also help you avoid getting stuck in stuttering traffic
Step 11. Buy a motion sickness wristband
The motion sickness bracelet exerts gentle, constant pressure on the forearm, at about 2.5 cm from the wrist joint. This pressure will help relieve nausea caused by motion sickness. Anti-nausea bracelets have not been scientifically proven to be useful, but they are quite cheap and have no negative side effects. You may consider giving it a try, to see if this bracelet is of any use to you.
If you don't have a motion sickness bracelet, you can apply gentle pressure to your forearm (between the two tendons) about 3 cm or so from the wrist joint
Step 12. Consider using other transportation alternatives
Some people who experience motion sickness also experience the same thing when using other vehicles, such as trains, buses, and planes. But some people only experience motion sickness in the car. Trains, buses, and planes may be considered as a medium for moving. Vehicles other than this car may be a better choice because they are able to give the impression of a quieter ride, are less confusing to the eye, and allow you to sit up straighter.
- It will be helpful if you are looking for the most stable seat in these vehicles. Make sure your seat is facing the direction of the oncoming vehicle (don't choose a rear-facing seat); sit facing the front of trains and buses; choose a seat on the side closest to the wall of the plane. It's less likely that you will wobble while sitting in that chair.
- If you are traveling short distances, walking or cycling can prevent motion sickness from driving by car.
Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Avoid oily food and alcohol before traveling
Oily food makes the body tend to feel nauseous. And alcohol can cause hangover symptoms that can make motion sickness worse, such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, and sweating. If you know you'll be driving a car soon, stay away from high-fat foods and alcoholic beverages to avoid motion sickness.
Step 2. Eat light but frequent meals
Heavy meals can make it easier for you to feel nauseous. If you drive by car, especially during long trips, eat only healthy snacks, low in fat, and in small but frequent portions. Foods that are low in fat but high in protein are ideal foods to prevent motion sickness.
For example, don't eat hamburgers while traveling. Instead, buy a salad served with grilled chicken. Do not drink milkshakes while traveling. Instead, drink a low-fat yogurt smoothie served with added protein powder
Step 3. Bring a tasteless snack made of flour in the car
A simple, unappetizing and tasteless snack can help deal with a churning stomach. Snacks such as dry bread, crackers, and pretzels can help absorb stomach acid and make your stomach feel calmer. These snacks are also a great way to reduce hunger without causing indigestion.
These snacks are also not very flavorful, making them a good choice because the strong flavors and aromas of food can make motion sickness worse
Step 4. Keep your body well hydrated
Dehydration can make motion sickness symptoms worse. Make sure you drink plenty of water before and during driving to avoid motion sickness. Water is the best way to hydrate the body. However, flavored drinks can also help distract you from feeling dizzy or nauseous: feel free to treat yourself to a decaffeinated fizzy drink, such as ginger ale (a carbonated drink with ginger extract).
High protein drinks have also been shown to help reduce nausea
Step 5. Consume lots of ginger
Ginger has been shown to help reduce motion sickness and other types of motion sickness. You can eat (or drink) ginger in many forms. There are ginger lollipops, ginger lollipops, ginger tea, ginger ale, ginger pills, candied ginger, and ginger cookies. All of these will help soothe your stomach. Make sure that the treats you choose are made from real ginger-not artificial flavours.
Ask your doctor if ginger is safe for you to consume. It is possible that ginger may affect certain medications
Step 6. Always carry mints and gum with you
Peppermint, like ginger, is a natural remedy for nausea. Mint gum and gum also help the body produce more saliva, which can neutralize stomach acid. Plus, the mint flavor can serve as a first diversion when you can't take your mind off the motion sickness symptoms. Suck on peppermint gum or chew mint gum to help settle your stomach and focus your attention on something else.
Method 3 of 3: Using Medical Treatment
Step 1. Talk to your doctor about your motion sickness
Most motion sickness problems can be treated with lifestyle changes and home remedies. However, sometimes motion sickness can interfere with your work or daily life. In this case, you should talk to your doctor about possible medical interventions, such as prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications.
- You should also talk to your doctor if you (or your child) experience symptoms such as severe headaches, difficulty hearing or seeing, and difficulty walking after driving a car. This could signal a more serious problem than just ordinary motion sickness.
- Susceptibility to motion sickness may be related to age, race, gender, hormonal factors, sensory ailments, and migraines. Talk to your doctor to see if you are at a higher risk of motion sickness.
Step 2. Take an antihistamine 30-60 minutes before getting in the car
There are over-the-counter and prescription drugs that are effective in treating motion sickness. These medications usually contain dimenhydrinate (or dramamine) or meclizine. The well-known brands of motion sickness drugs are Dramamine and Bonine/Antivert. Some of these hangover medications are available in the form of a patch and will be very useful because of their ability to release the drug's effects slowly and over a long period of time. Antihistamines can prevent motion sickness caused by motion sickness by dulling the motion sensors of the inner ear. For antihistamines to work properly, you should take them 30-60 minutes before starting your car trip.
Know the side effects of these medications before using them (especially if you will be driving), and check with your doctor just in case. Antihistamines can make you feel drowsy and affect your ability to operate machinery
Step 3. Ask your doctor for a prescription for scopolamine
Scopolamine should only be and is safe for use by adults--not for children. This drug can only be obtained with a doctor's prescription and is used as a plaster that is placed behind the ear. You must use it 4 hours before the trip starts. Despite the severe side effects (blurred vision and dry mouth), this drug is very effective in treating nausea caused by motion sickness. Talk to your doctor about whether this medication could be a good choice for you.
Tips
- Help prevent motion sickness in children by providing upright seats so they can have a clear view outside the car, and playing games that encourage them to look outside. Don't let them watch movies in the car as it can trigger motion sickness.
- Migraine sufferers, pregnant women, and children aged between 2-12 years are generally more likely to experience motion sickness. In some cases, motion sickness is a temporary problem that will eventually subside.
- Do a lot of diversions in the car, but make sure they don't have to read or look at the screen. Instead, have fun with music, audiobooks, or safe in-car games you can play with friends.
- Keep the temperature inside your car cool and have good air circulation.
- Make sure your tires and shock absorbers are in good condition: of course you want your ride to be as smooth as possible.
- Stop the car during the trip and walk for a minute or so. The motion sickness will subside once you are on solid ground.
- If you experience frequent motion sickness, keep a vomit bag in your car, just in case you can't stop the car in time.
- Try chewing gum. Replace the gum with a different flavor when the gum is gone, as tasteless gum can make motion sickness worse.
Warning
- Doctors used to think that traveling on an empty stomach would help relieve motion sickness. Now we know that this is not true: the stomach should be filled but not too full or full. Eating light snacks and small meals is the best option.
- Consult a doctor before using medical drugs or herbal remedies to treat motion sickness/travel. Not everyone is allowed to take antihistamines, ginger and peppermint: always talk to your doctor before taking any medication.
