How to Avoid Getting Seasick

Seasickness is a kind of motion sickness many people experience when the rocking motion of a boat or ship causes visual disorientation, resulting in symptoms like nausea, dizziness, headaches and vomiting. Like other kinds of motion sickness, seasickness occurs when the motion of a conveyance and its relationship relative to nearby objects makes a person's surroundings seem to be in constant motion, throwing off his or her natural equilibrium. Humans normally stabilize this equilibrium instinctively by steadying their center of gravity using stationary visual cues.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask your doctor to recommend an effective seasickness medication before traveling if you know you're prone to seasickness or motion sickness in general. Many over-the-counter treatments are available in the form of antihistamines like diphenhydramine and dimenhydrinate, and some prescription drugs like scopolamine are available in patch form. Herbal supplements like ginger capsules have also proven effective in combating seasickness symptoms before they appear.

• 2

  Focus on the horizon or a fixed object off in the distance. The horizon is a reliable and constant point of reference that can help your body adjust to the instability of your surrounding environment, but don't strain too hard to concentrate on it or your seasickness may get worse. Instead keep your eyes steady but relaxed, allowing them to adjust to the unfamiliar motion gradually.

• 3

  Avoid eating anything that might upset your stomach like heavy, greasy or spicy foods, and keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. Avoid smoking and other passengers' secondhand smoke, and abstain from demanding physical activities that may cause overexertion or dehydration.

• 4

  Drink lots of water and eat dry crackers in frequent but moderate amounts to help settle your stomach and keep hydrated.

• 5

  Lie down somewhere quiet and comfortable and try to relax. If traveling on a cruise ship, try to reserve a cabin as close to the middle of the ship and the surface of the water as possible, as these areas experience less of the rocking that leads to seasickness.