By Naomi Salami

Motion sickness has been the bane of many people. The uncomfortable feeling of being unable to enjoy the journey of a bus or plane ride because of the constant feeling of nausea, headaches or dizziness. 

According to an article from Cleveland Clinic, Motion sickness occurs when your brain receives signals from motion-sensing parts of your body; your eyes, inner ears, muscles and joints. When these body parts send conflicting information to your brain, it doesn’t know whether you’re stationary or moving. Its confused reaction makes you feel sick.

For some people, it isn’t one symptom or the other as they may come all at once, but there are simple remedies that may aid you in overcoming the discomfort.

Here are five tips to help you get through your motion sickness.

1. Strategic seating placement: Putting yourself in the right spot in a vehicle or aeroplane can make a significant difference and it can help in not triggering discomfort. If you’re in a car or bus, sit in the front seat by the window and focus on the horizon. The same method goes for travelling in an aeroplane, it is advisable to seat close to the wings as they experience less turbulence.
2. Distract yourself: A lot of people love listening to music or watching movies on transit. But for the few that experience motion sickness, it is necessary to distract yourself as it helps take your focus away from the sensation of movement. Dr Behrang Keshavaraz, Scientist at the KITE Research Institute in Canada, recently discovered that when users listen to their favourite playlist, the effects of visually induced motion sickness can be reduced. This was conducted using eighty participants for the study. 
3. Usage of mint: This is a simple remedy as it helps to get rid of nausea or decrease the possibility of throwing up. Its cooling effect relaxes your stomach muscles and gets rid of that tight uncomfortable feeling in your stomach.  
   
4. Breathing exercises: If you never thought of this during a motion sickness saga, no one can blame you as it isn’t a common technique. Slowing down your breath rate and following diaphragmatic breathing (deep breathing) is another way of managing motion sickness. When you do breathing exercises, you fill your stomach with air during inhalation and flatten it with exhalation without moving your chest. While this is a proven method of managing motion sickness, it may not work for everybody.
5.  Avoid heavy or greasy food: If you are acquainted with the concept of motion sickness, you may have noticed that waiting before leaving home can be a big problem sometimes. This leads to most people not taking anything at all to avoid the problem altogether. It isn’t all kinds of foods that contribute to motion sickness but a few. These are greasy kinds and caffeinated beverages. Also, avoid heavy breakfasts or lunch to avoid getting nauseated. Taking cold sips of cold water or ginger ale helps curb nausea. Be sure to have it handy with you.

Remember, our body system operates and reacts in different ways, so don’t be disappointed if you try a few methods and they don’t work for you. If your motion sickness disturbs the quality of your life, it is advisable to see a doctor.

Meiza Nigeria