Do you get a little nauseous on the road?
Believe it or not, I suffer from moderate motion sickness and travel is my job.
As your Tour Director, I am not able to take Gravol and nap.
Plus, more importantly, I don’t want to miss showing you all there is to see on our adventures.
Nausea begins in the brain, not the tummy…WOW! This is where emotional, cognitive, or chemical triggers may stimulate your nervous system. In turn, it causes your stomach muscles to work irregularly, making you feel nauseous.
After lot of time on motorcoaches, planes, trains, and cruise ships, I’ve discovered some ways to get around this nasty and disruptive condition. If you struggle with it too, these tips might just help:
- Choose an aisle seat: When you are on a motorcoach, it is not necessary to sit at the front of the bus, just be sure to sit in an aisle seat. It may be that seeing things moving past the window is setting off your nausea. (Back to the brain thing!)
- Skip the reading: Bring your earbuds and download an audiobook, your favourite music, or podcast. Using a book/phone/iPad for reading can sometimes be a trigger. (That brain thing again?)
- Acupressure bracelets: These inexpensive bracelets can be found at most pharmacies, these work best when put on 30 minutes before boarding.
- Gravol or Ginger Gravol (non-drowsy): This trusty medication available at your local pharmacy.
- Motion patches (Scopolamine): These can be worn behind the ear (popular on cruises), but they can cause dry mouth and dehydration. These appear convenient but you need to research and know the side effects and condition interactions.
- “Relief Band”: Which is my lifeline! Because we travel so often and I need to be alert, this is my go-to. It is the more expensive route but if you love to travel, it could be a beneficial investment. Click Relief Band if you wish to learn about it. I put it on about 30 minutes before boarding the motorcoach, airplane, train, or cruise ship and I have no nausea. It just looks like a sports watch on your wrist.
- Stay Hydrated: Sip on clear liquids like water, apple juice, ginger ale, or peppermint tea to help settle your stomach.
- Snack Smart: Stick to light foods like crackers, pretzels, toast, yogurt, apples, bananas, or even a sliced green apple with a sprinkle of salt (a trick I learned from cruise ship staff!) Try to minimize your intake of sugar and spicy treats.
Ultimately you are responsible for you and the better care you take of your nausea, the more you will enjoy your vacation.
Lynn
