While everyone can experience it, some people are more prone to airsickness and encounter this problem almost every time they travel by plane. Airsickness is a type of motion sickness caused by different signals from the five senses to the brain. While the eyes adjust to the lack of movement around them and convey to the brain that you are sitting still, the inner ear senses the actual movement. This difference in signaling results in nausea, and sometimes, vomiting. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to prevent airsickness on airplanes.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Air Travel
Step 1. Avoid heavy meals
Watch the food you eat for at least 24 hours before traveling. Try to avoid fatty, oily, heavily spiced, or salty foods. Better, eat or enjoy snacks more often in smaller portions. Avoid heavy meals right before leaving.
- Don't eat foods that make your stomach feel uncomfortable. For example, avoid foods that make your chest feel hot or trigger acid reflux. The less you pay attention to the condition of your stomach, the better.
- Try not to eat anything just before leaving, but don't get on the plane on an empty stomach either.
Step 2. Limit alcohol consumption
Intake of alcohol before traveling can trigger airsickness in many people. Try to avoid alcohol consumption. Also, make sure to drink lots of water.
Step 3. Be careful in choosing a seat
Most likely, you will be able to choose your seat when purchasing a plane ticket. Try to choose a seat on the wing of the aircraft that is close to the window.
- The seat on the wing is the part that moves the least during flight. Sitting by the window also allows you to focus on the horizon, or other still objects in the distance.
- If that seat is not available, choose a seat at the front of the plane near the window. The front of the plane also doesn't move much during flight.
Step 4. Get enough sleep
A fresh body can help you stay calm during the flight.
Step 5. Use motion sickness medication
It is better to prevent airsickness than to treat it once the symptoms appear. Your doctor may be able to help by prescribing motion sickness medication.
- There are several classes of drugs to prevent motion sickness. Some can be purchased over the counter, such as dimenhydrinate (Antimo) and meclizine.
- More effective drugs can be purchased by prescription, such as scopolamine. Scopolamine is most often prescribed in a patch that can be placed behind the ear about 30 minutes before flying.
- There are other medications, but they have so many side effects that they may not be suitable for you. Examples include promethazine and benzodiazepines.
- Promethazine is commonly used to treat symptoms of nausea and vomiting due to an illness, but it also causes a sedative effect that lasts for several hours.
- Benzodiazepines are also useful for preventing airsickness, but the main benefit is controlling anxiety problems. Benzodiazepines can cause a strong sedative effect. Some examples of drugs that belong to the benzodiazepine group are alprazolam, lorazepam, and clonazepam.
- Your doctor will determine the best medication for you.
Step 6. Ask your doctor about the medications you are taking
Some medications you take regularly may make you more prone to nausea than others. Your doctor may be able to adjust your medication use before traveling.
Never change the way you use your medicine yourself. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other problems you don't want while on the plane. In addition, you are also more at risk of worsening the disease
Step 7. Put on an acupressure band or use ginger
Although the evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupressure or ginger has not been confirmed, some people believe these options are quite effective. The bracelet will press on the wrist and stimulate acupressure points which are believed to help control nausea and vomiting.
Part 2 of 3: Over on the Plane
Step 1. Avoid reading or playing hand-held games
Focusing on objects that are closer to the eyes and face will exacerbate differences in movement signals in the brain.
Try using headphones to listen to music, listen to audiobooks or work-related topics, or watch a movie while traveling to pass the time
Step 2. Focus on the horizon
Looking at a distant still object such as the horizon will help reassure the brain and stabilize the body's balance. Sitting by a window can help you see distant stills such as the horizon.
Step 3. Adjust the air vent
Make sure there is fresh air blowing into your face. Breathing fresh, cool air can help you relax and prevent overheating. A mini fan can also help cool the air around you.
Step 4. Breathe
Short, rapid breathing will make your symptoms worse. Slow, deep breaths have been found to be better at controlling motion sickness symptoms than normal breathing.
Using techniques that support deep, slow breathing can help you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes your body. Breathing like this will help you relax as well as calm your body
Step 5. Use the headrest on the seat
A headrest can not only help you relax, but also stabilize your head movement. Use a neck pillow if it makes you feel more comfortable.
Step 6. Eat less and avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine while on the plane
Avoid eating anything that can irritate the stomach. Consider eating dry crackers and drinking cold water instead of iced water while on the plane.
Drink plenty of water while on the plane to meet the body's fluid needs
Step 7. Stand up
If you start to feel nauseous, stand up. Lying down or leaning back in a seat won't help. On the other hand, standing can help the body restore the perception of balance that is expected to fight nausea.
Step 8. Ask the flight attendant to move your seat if people around you have airsickness
Smelling and hearing people around you nausea or vomiting can trigger the same in you, and exacerbate the airsickness symptoms you already have. Changing seats on an airplane isn't always possible, but you should try.
Step 9. Focus on something else
Try to stay positive as calm as possible, and focus on other things.
On a business trip, keep in mind the presentation you are about to deliver. Or imagine a vacation that you will soon enjoy if the purpose of your trip is sightseeing
Step 10. Listen to music
Listening to music with headphones can help you focus on the music, calm your mind and body, and drown out sounds that may be aggravating your stress and anxiety levels, such as a baby crying, or someone else vomiting.
Part 3 of 3: Seeking Help for Serious or Chronic Disorder
Step 1. Seek help from a trained therapist
Anxiety is a trigger for airsickness. Using cognitive behavioral therapy, you can learn to control your anxiety and fear, and deal with airsickness.
Step 2. Try progressive muscle relaxation
This technique teaches you to focus your mind and energy on controlling your muscles, and helps you to be better able to feel different physical sensations.
Try to feel the muscles go up or down, starting from the toes for example. Focus on tensing a muscle group and holding it for 5 seconds, relaxing a muscle for 30 seconds, repeating several times, then moving on to the next muscle group
Step 3. Consider habituation exercises
Even some pilots are prone to airsickness. To solve this problem, many pilots, as well as people who travel frequently by plane, try habituation exercises. In this exercise, you will be exposed to things that cause airsickness, such as frequent long-distance travel by plane, especially before flying long distances.
Step 4. Consider biofeedback techniques
Research on pilots with motion sickness has shown promising results. Their motion sickness problem can be overcome using biofeedback techniques combined with relaxation techniques.
In one study, pilots learned to cope with motion sickness by being put on a rotating incline bench that caused them to feel nauseous. Then, some changes in his body, such as temperature and muscle tension are monitored. Using biofeedback devices and relaxation techniques, pilots can learn to control motion sickness
Step 5. Consult a doctor
If your airsickness is getting worse or worse, you should consult your doctor and ask for a referral to an ENT and neurosurgeon specialist.
Tips
- Take advantage of the inflight entertainment options. Many long-haul flights offer movies that you can watch from your seat without having to focus your eyes on a screen close to your face. Entertainment like this will help reduce the anxiety of airsickness and make you more relaxed.
- Drink something cold like ginger soda, water, or a caffeine-free soft drink, rather than ice.
- Don't eat anything you rarely eat or food you don't like during the flight. Choose simple foods, such as dry crackers.
- Talking to the person next to you may help distract and pass the time.
- Find out where the gag bag is placed, just in case.
- Listen to music to reduce your anxiety about motion sickness.
- Try chewing something like gum or a lollipop to help relieve nausea and distract yourself.
