The busiest travel season of the year is right around the corner. Before long people will be loading up their cars to head to grandmas for that turkey dinner or to celebrate around the Christmas tree. That all sounds fine and good, but what happens if the drive there is just unbearable? For hundreds of thousands of Americans, car rides are torture. Car sickness doesn’t really affect me often, but I’ve had bouts of it throughout the years and it is no fun. Here are some easy ways to help curb that junky feeling while you travel this year:
1. Just breathe: Crack open a window and allow the fresh air to hit your face. Then make sure you are remembering to take deep, calming breaths. The air/breathing combo really helps me a lot.
2. Sit up front: Carsickness tends to be worse when you are in the back seat and for sure if you are rear or sideways facing {think jump seats in trucks}. Sitting up front gives you a full view of the scenery. I sometimes try to focus on the horizon or the road and having that focal point helps, too.
3. Eat: Carsickness is the worst for me on an empty stomach. If you’re afraid to eat a full meal, nibble on some crackers and sip some 7up. Treat your stomach like you’re recovering from the flu. Salty snacks always help me.
4. Sleep: Pretty much sleeping through a car trip is not only a great way to pass the time, but you’ll be out cold so you’ll avoid that carsickness altogether.
5. Alcohol pads: If I feel myself start to get nauseous, I just pull out a little alcohol wipe {like the kind in your first aid kit} and take a little whiff. I’m not sure what the science behind it is, but that smell really helps.
6. Don’t read: One of the quickest ways to exacerbate motion sickness is to read. So put those books away for the trip, and glance out the window to take in all that scenery.
7. Ginger: Ginger root has been known for years to help settle upset stomachs. Grab a few ginger hard candies and suck on those during the trip, or you can opt for some ginger cookies or even ginger ale. You can also get over-the-counter ginger root caplets to take before your trip. Should help settle the nausea.
8. Essential oils: So I’ve never tried this, but I have some friends who swear by this method. They say a few drops of lavender, ginger {again with the ginger} or peppermint essential oils will go a long way to help curb that upset stomach.
9. Acupressure: Seriously. Applying gentle pressure on your forearm about an inch or so back from the wrist joint helps. You can also purchase an acupressure wrist band that will do this for you.
10. Over-the-counter meds: Last but not least, a little Dramamine might go a long way!
Do you have any tried and true methods you use to help with motion sickness?
~Mavis
Debbie says
This goes along with cracking the window–be sure not to get too warm. This can be a problem when you are bundled for winter weather, but inside the car with the heat on. Coolness helps!
Christy says
Meclazine (brand name Bonine) is Over The Counter motion sickness medicine and doesn’t cause drowsiness.
I also find ginger chews, (Gin-Gins, Chimes, Prince of Peace brands) from health food stores or found in Asian grocery before too, are GREAT! As are Ginger Thins and ginger cookies.
DawnDenice in Beaverton says
We use Vicks VapoRub. A little dab at the temples and motion sickness is a non-issue. We learned that from a flight attendant while on an international flight.
Paula D says
I use to suffer from Car sickness when I was younger and still do if I sit in the back seat. One of the ways I deal with it is sit directly behind the driver and look out the front as if I was driving. It does help and of course, leave a window open for some fresh air and never..never look out the side window if your tummy is already rolling along the highway.
Ruby says
Along with not getting too warm and having fresh air, sipping ice water helps. The colder the better, as it seems to keep nausea at bay.
Lori Bates says
A never fail remedy: sit up and focus on the horizon line ahead of you. This re-orients the imbalance in your inner ear, which is the primary culprit in motion sickness. I used to be hopeless, now, as long as I check in with the horizon now and then, I can ride for hours and feel great.
Mindy says
Smartfood popcorn. I won’t go on a road trip without it. Seriously the only thing that works for me.
Lorie Underwood says
Homepathy has been the only thing that helps my daughter. Tabcum is great, a few tiny pellets under the tongue and no sickness. There are others also depending on what kind of motion sickness you have.
Try it…
Tracy L. says
I also have struggled with this my whole life. I do a lot of the things you mentioned. But almost always have something salty and a diet Pepsi. I need to sip on something. Also, stopping at rest stops (because I drank the diet Pepsi), and walking around, getting some fresh air etc helps me to be able to endure.
Carrie says
I’ve struggled with motion sickness my whole life. I hate traveling whether it’s in a car, boat, train or airplane. All your suggestions work for me. If I have a long flight and want to knit or read I use the acupuncture bracelets – they really help me! I always offer to drive when going on long road trips too.
Michele says
My daughter, myself, and my mother (3 generations) all get carsick. A dramamine or bonine always works, but tend to cause drowsyness…which is not fun if you’re traveling somewhere TO HAVE FUN.
My tips for my daughter, who is 6:
– Always have a gallon ziplock bag in the drivers door cubby for emergency if you cannot pull over fast enough
– Always have a change of clothes and a garbage sack for dirty clothes
-Keep a stash of suckers or smarties or gum to help distract from that horrid feeling
– Don’t travel on an empty stomach
– Use the accupressure wristbands, look at the horizon, roll down a window, and DON’T READ or play with anything that requires your concentration to be looking down. Try to encourage sleeping.
Above all…please just stop the car and lie down for about 10 minutes. The ceasing of the motion will cure it. Throwing up is horrible and does not help you feel better. It really is the worst feeling. It might take you twice as long to get somewhere, but really…I have all day to stop as opposed to cleaning up vomit in the car.
Robin in SoCal says
Ginger gum has saved me so many times. I buy a brand sold over the counter at Rite-Aid
Mavis says
I didn’t know Ginger gum was a thing! That’s awesome.
Diana says
I am the queen of motion sickness. I once got sick, when I was 15, while laying on a beach listening to the waves. Took Dramamine, fell asleep and burnt to a crisp. In Traverse City, MI in June. Which of course meant that I had to sleep in a sleeping bag at night. That was a trip to remember.
Anyway, I’ve found the one way to stop my motion sickness is to get wet. Literally. When I would get sick at amusement parks, I would always ride one of the water rides, get soaked and then it would go away. If I got sick while driving on a long trip, we always looked for a body of water so I could go stick my feet in it. Seriously. It worked.
It’s a lot better now that I’m older – although I get bad when I test out mattresses – y’know, laying down and getting back up a number of times quickly. I haven’t had to get wet in quite a while, lol..