Sea sickness is probably one of the more common and worse types of motion sickness. There are probably more people who get sea sick than motion sickness on any other mode of transportation. I guess it’s the motion of the waves that cause more people to feel sick right after they board the ship. But we can not let sea sickness rule our lives. Sailing or cruising on a ship is one enjoyable experience we don’t want to miss. So learn how to minimize seasickness symptoms and reach your destination feeling fresh.
What causes sea sickness?
Your inner ear is very sensitive to motion. And together with the eyes and other sensory nerves that detect motion, they send messages to your brain. When travelling the sensory nerves may send conflicting messages to your brain. One part of this balance-sensing system may recognise movement, while the other does not. When a conflict in these messages occurs it can result in motion sickness, or in this particular case, sea sickness.
For example when you’re inside your cabin and your ear senses the motion of the waves but your eyes don’t see any movement. This results in a conflict of signals as your eyes and ears are communicating different signals to your brain.
4 Simple and practical tips to minimise the effects of Sea Sickness
- No matter how sick you feel, stay focused on the horizon. Look ahead and focus your attention on a spot where the sky meets the sea. This will give you a sense of balance because what your eyes see, is confirmed by the sounds of the waves.
- Get some fresh air. However, this may be a little challenging because the law of equilibrium dictates that the higher your position, the more movement you experience. But we also know that the deck is where you get most fresh air because it is open. So, if you want to stay up on the deck make sure you are prepared to be swayed by the motion of the waves. However, if you decide to stay at the bottom part of the vessel, make sure you open your window to get some air.
- Bring a lot of water and electrolyte-filled beverages, such as Gatorade or vitamin water. If you are seasick there is a tendency to throw up every so often. And the first thing you want to avoid is dehydration. So try to drink a glass of liquid each time you throw up to keep those electrolytes going.
- Drinking ginger ale or a ginger-based beverage will help to settle your stomach. Ginger is a well-known remedy for nausea and when you are feeling seasick, you will feel nauseous. To combat this, try and drink these remedy drinks.
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Learning these simple and practical tips may assist you next time you go on a boat. If you are concerned about sea sickness, come and talk to the friendly staff at Pharmacy NZ, and learn about our range of sea sickness products and remedies.