What Causes Car Sickness? Things to Avoid for Better Traveling

Motion sickness or travel sickness is very common while traveling either in a car, bus, train, boat or anything that is moving. Though it is not a serious illness, it makes a journey hard to enjoy. Someone who is severely prone to motion sickness also finds himself vomiting throughout the journey. Motion sickness also keeps a person from traveling often, and hence this is the thing that shouldn’t be left untreated. Let’s see what causes car sickness and what you can do to keep motion sickness under control-

What Causes Car Sickness and How to Prevent it?

We all have a balance center in our brains which acts as the center for the body’s movement and balance. There are multiple sensors in our middle ear, limbs, and eyes that feed information about the movement to this center. When we travel, we make a motion without our bodies actually moving. This creates a conflict among the sources of information, and it is the reason why do people get car sick.

However, there are various ways by which you can lessen the intensity of motion sickness. Let’s see how you can do it-

Avoid reading while you are in the vehicle that is moving.

Do not sit facing backward on the train or bus. Always face toward the train or the way in which the vehicle is moving.

Why do people get car sick
Travel sickness happens due to inner ear disturbance

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Do not sit on the backseat of a bus. If you are in a car, prefer the front seat or the one beside the driver’s seat.

In an airplane, the middle area of the airplane is the most comfortable place. When you are on a ship, choose lower-level cabins near the center of a ship.

Do not eat very much before and during travel. It would worsen the situation and you will more like to vomit, even more than once. Avoid anything spicy, oily, or you don’t feel like eating during travel. Do not consume alcohol or any liquid before traveling.

Avoid applying strong perfumes or do not apply one at all. Strong odors sometimes trigger a feeling of nausea.

You should avoid sitting around people who experience motion sickness. The more you concentrate on it, the more you feel like you are going to puke.

Feeling suffocated is also one of the car sickness causes. Make sure there is a source of fresh air so you do not feel suffocated.

Consume medicines that are anti-nauseants such as Bonine, Antivert, or Dramamine. Consume them before you step on to the vehicle and keep a few with you for the journey.

How Medications Work? 

The motion sickness medicines work by controlling the brain and nervous system. They act in the balance control system in the brain and control the effects of neurotransmitters such as histamine, acetylcholine, and dopamine.

However, consuming these medicines can sometimes cause sedation, drowsiness, or dry mouth. It would be much effective if you consume the medication 30 minutes before starting your journey.

Car sickness causes
Avoid heavy food before traveling helps with motion sickness. Source: The Healthy

Conclusion

Now we hope that you understand what causes car sickness. It can be managed better by following all these tips along with consuming the medicines. Always keep a pack of motion sickness pills handy, and that way your journey would be much better every time.