Going on a cruise or a fishing trip is a great way to spend a vacation, but for people who get seasick easily, it’s not always the best option. It’s hard to enjoy time off when you feel sick the entire time. How can you still go on that dream vacation without feeling nauseous? Here are some simple tips for how to avoid seasickness that will help you get through your travels!
What Causes Seasickness?
Seasickness is a result of your brain getting mixed signals from your inner ear and your eyes. Your inner ear is responsible for maintaining balance, and any abnormal movements cause your brain to try to adjust your body accordingly.
As you are knocked around by the waves, your ear sends signals that you are in motion, but your eyes are showing that the boat as still, which confuses your brain and results in feelings of nausea and sickness as it tries to cope.
The size of the boat doesn’t matter when it comes to seasickness; whether you’re on a cruise liner or have purchased your own boat, you may need to prepare for seasickness when you ride.
How to Avoid Seasickness When On Board
There are plenty of tricks that you can use to help yourself feel better. Here are a few ways that you can cope with or avoid seasickness while on deck.
Rest Up Before Heading Out
If you know that you are going on a ship the following day, you should make sure to get a full night’s sleep in preparation. A tired and confused brain will only compound the feelings of seasickness; by helping your mind rest, you are giving it a proper chance to prepare itself.
Use Deep Breathing Exercises to Manage Nausea
If you feel the onsets of seasickness, try using breathing exercises to manage your stomach.
Focusing on your breathing rather than the movement of the boat will help to both calm your mind and shift your attention to something more pleasant. It will also help to settle the anxiety in your stomach.
To avoid upsetting your stomach further, closing your eyes and laying down during these exercises will do wonders for you. Give all of your attention to your breathing and take some time to relax.
Get Some Fresh Air
Being confined in a stale, musty room onboard won’t do anything to help your nausea. When you’re starting to feel sick, get up top and breathe in the fresh air. You can help yourself further by combining this with the breathing exercises from before.
Get Something to Eat or Drink
While it may seem counterproductive, you can give your stomach a break by eating or drinking something when you are feeling unwell. Try something bland or simple, like plain rice, saltine crackers, or similar foods.
Getting plenty of water and staying hydrated will keep your stomach from acting up as well. Ginger ale is another fantastic drink for staying hydrated, and will also act as relief for your stomach.
Of course, you’ll need to be careful just what you eat or drink. Alcohol and strong or spicy foods will only make your seasickness worse, so be sure to avoid them.
Eating too much food can also make your symptoms worse; don’t eat any large meals while seasick to avoid making a mess.
Consider Medications to Prevent Seasickness
There are many medications for motion sickness and seasickness. Whether you decide to get a prescription or just use over the counter medications, you have a good selection to choose from.
If your seasickness isn’t that bad, or you aren’t sure if you will get seasick, then there are pills to protect you against motion sickness. Most of these can be purchased over the counter without the need for a doctor’s approval.
If you expect to have bad seasickness, or that it will last for a majority of the trip, then you may want to consider a seasickness patch. For a patch, you will need to have it prescribed by a doctor, but it will help you feel much better on your trip!
Keep Your Eyes On the Horizon
Focusing your eyes where the ocean meets the water will help your brain match your vision to the signals your inner ear is sending it. Seeing the waves against the sky will line up the movements you’re seeing to the movements your brain is sensing in your ear and help it settle down.
Stay Away From Direct Sunlight
If you start to feel a bout of seasickness coming on, it’s best to try to stay out of direct sunlight. The sun and heat can make your nausea much worse; staying somewhere cool in the shade will help ease your stomach.
Avoid Strong Odors
Just as strong foods can cause nausea, strong smells can wreak havoc on your stomach. Is there anything on the boat emitting a strong smell? If so, you may want to either get rid of it or, if the boat is large enough, try your best to avoid it.
Clear Waters Ahead!
Knowing how to avoid seasickness will help to make your trip out to sea that much easier and more fun! Keep these tips in mind when planning your next vacation so you can arrive prepared.
What have you learned? Do you have any tactics that help you get over your motion sickness?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave your own experiences or ideas as a reply down below.
If you’re looking to rent or buy a boat, or have questions about boating, contact us for additional information, and continue reading our blog for more boating tips!