Say bon voyage to travel sickness

Kim Jones reveals the steps you can take to avoid feeling unwell when you head off on your holiday

With travel back on the cards, many of us are eager to make up for trips and holidays lost to the pandemic. But while some can’t wait to take off – whether by train, plane, boat or automobile – anyone susceptible to travel sickness will be dreading the journey.

Around 65 per cent of us are said to suffer from some degree of motion sickness, says Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy (doctorfox.co.uk).

“The exact cause is not known. But it’s thought to happen because, when travelling, the sensory input to the brain becomes confused,” she says.

For example, as you travel in a car, your inner ears sense movement, your eyes see movement (buildings, fields or trees passing by) but your body sends your brain the message that it’s sitting still.

This neural confusion can cause nausea and sweating.

“It’s important to recognise the symptoms and take steps to prevent the onset when you know you’re going on a journey.”

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

Research from the University of Warwick published in the journal Applied Ergonomics suggests we could “train our brains” to become less prone to motion sickness by doing visuospatial exercises.

In the study, participants were asked to do pen-andpaper visuospatial training tasks – for example, paper folding or looking at a pattern of boxes and identifying which image has been rotated – once a day for 15 minutes per day.

After two weeks of training, participants saw their motion sickness reduced by 58 per cent on the road.

Free apps such as Spatial Ability and Unfoldit will allow you to practise exercises like this yourself.

EAT RIGHT, AND LIGHT

Avoid travelling on an empty stomach as it can make you more prone to travel sickness, says naturopathic nutritionist Louise Westra (louisewestra.com). “Ideally, you should have a light meal around 45 to 60 minutes before starting your journey to balance blood sugar levels,” she says.

“Try lean protein like grilled fish or free-range chicken with a salad.”

STEER CLEAR OF FAT, SALT AND SUGAR

Fatty and sugary foods should be off the menu before making tracks, says Louise.

“Both can cause nausea and lead to, or worsen, travel sickness,” she explains.

“Plus steer clear of foods high in salt, like crisps or cheese, before travel – they interfere with the internal balance of the inner ear.”

SNACK ON AN APPLE

“Keep a stash of fairly bland light snacks, like crackers, to help keep blood sugar levels stable throughout your journey,” says Louise.

“Apples are also great. They’re low in acid, so won’t make you feel queasy, have a low glycaemic index, so won’t disrupt blood sugar levels, and the soluble fibre they contain helps ‘mop up’ stomach acid.”

DON’T BE A NAVIGATOR

Avoid reading maps or books in the car if you’re a passenger prone to motion sickness.

While your eyes are fixed on the map, your phone, or a book, they’re telling you that you’re still. The rest of your body, however, is sending signals that you’re moving every time you go over a bump in the road, the vehicle changes direction, accelerates or brakes (that’s why you can feel particularly nauseous reading on winding country roads).

You’re best looking out of the window instead.

PRETEND TO BE THE DRIVER

Drivers rarely feel motion sickness because they’re looking straight ahead at the road and can anticipate all movements the car is going to make. So their eyes, inner ear and body are synced up.

Either volunteer to drive or get a front seat and check out what the driver’s watching.

TUNE INTO SOME TUNES

Studies have shown listening to music you enjoy can reduce the severity of nausea and motion sickness. It could be that the music simply serves as a distraction, but some research suggests it can reduce the pain signals travelling to the brain – including nasty nausea symptoms. So turn on the radio or load up a favourite playlist on your device.

TIME YOUR REMEDY RIGHT

Medications for travel sickness help by blocking messages to the brain that control the vomiting reflex.

“For best results, always follow the instructions carefully and take your travel sickness medication before you travel, usually one to two hours before, but sometimes the night before,” Dr Lee says.

“If you’re already vomiting, you’ll be unlikely to absorb any medication you swallow.” Soothe your tummy with Silicolgel (£8.40, Boots), which contains colloidal silicic acid, which forms a calming layer over the stomach.

JUST GINGER

“In one medical study, taking 1,000mg of ginger one hour before travelling effectively reduced nausea and tachygastria (the electrical activity of the stomach) compared to those who didn’t take it,” says Dr Lee.

“Ginger has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to treat motion sickness, but its mode of action is not fully understood.” Take a capsule or grate fresh ginger into hot water to brew your own anti-sickness tea.

CHEW ON IT

“A recent study found chewing gum, either ginger gum or peppermint gum, during a simulated flight experience, significantly reduced symptoms of motion sickness,” says Dr Lee.

“Both types of gum had the same effect, suggesting it was the act of chewing rather than the taste which made the difference.”

KEEP MOVEMENT MINIMAL

Choose seats where you feel the least amount of motion – the front seat of a car, over the wing of a plane and in the middle of a bus or boat (preferably on deck).