Ways to combat seasickness. How to fight motion sickness: ginger, pills and the power of self-persuasion
Illustration copyright Getty Images
Undoubtedly seasickness- this is a very unpleasant phenomenon. The columnist finds out why our body reacts so painfully to monotonous rocking and what can be done about it.
The pirate ship looked just like something out of an adventure movie: on its bow there was an eerie figure in the form of the head of the gorgon Medusa, a Jolly Roger fluttered on the mast, and a Jack Sparrow lookalike with a braided beard greeted us on board.
We went dolphin watching off the coast of Tenerife, and my three-year-old was absolutely delighted with the trip, while I... tried to hold down my breakfast.
Seasickness is one of the worst enemies of vacationers. According to a recent study, cruise ship passengers cite seasickness as the top inconvenience they experience while on vacation.
Moreover, it is difficult to avoid. As British comedian Spike Milligan said, “The only way not to get seasick is to sit under a tree.”
However, in summer heat Many people dream of traveling by water - leisurely cruises, boat trips from island to island, or boat trips propelled only by the wind.
Some try to fight these terrible feelings, as I did, while others simply prefer to have solid ground under their feet.
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption As a rule, passengers on large cruise ships suffer little from seasickness.Seasickness is a form of motion sickness. Car, seasickness and air sickness are caused by physical stimuli, and exercise sickness and cybersickness are caused by visual stimuli, but all of these types of motion sickness are characterized by general mechanism occurrence.
We get seasick when inner ear(or labyrinth) and the central nervous system cannot recognize where the vertical plane is.
Or, in other words, when the sense of balance and equilibrium for which the inner ear is responsible is disrupted due to movement - for example, due to rough seas.
However, the main difference with seasickness is that in many cases it lasts quite a long time.
"Even the worst journeys by bus, car or plane don't last for days. Yes, the plane may be bumpy, but not for long," says Richard Dawood, a travel medicine specialist at London's Fleet Street Clinic.
While traveling in a car, you can stop and get out. On the open sea you can only dream about this. You feel like you're trapped, and this feeling makes you more likely to get seasick.
Today, many sailors experience motion sickness to one degree or another, usually during the first two to three days of each voyage.
Even famous navigators suffered from seasickness, including Admiral Nelson, Charles Darwin and Christopher Columbus.
When English ships Queen Elizabeth I faced An invincible armada, the Spanish admiral Duke of Medina Sidonia began to get seasick. It is believed that this was one of the factors leading to England's victory.
During the Roman Empire, the poet Horace wrote that everyone is equal in the face of seasickness: both the poor and the rich.
Beth Leonard, an experienced sea traveler, says many sailors today experience motion sickness to some degree. This usually occurs within the first two to three days of each voyage.
Most people get used to it within three days, no matter what attempts are made to cope with it.
Leonard surveyed 38 sea travel enthusiasts and found that three-quarters of them suffered from nausea every time they went to sea.
Another Yachting World survey of 223 people found that 62% had experienced symptoms of seasickness.
These include not only strong feeling nausea. It usually starts with milder symptoms such as yawning or increased salivation, and then the condition begins to worsen.
A person develops cold sweat, he feels dizzy and has a headache, he feels tired, and it all ends with nausea and possibly vomiting.
During the first days at sea, many also complain of problems with concentration.
Thirty-three percent of Beth Leonard's respondents complained of drowsiness, a quarter of lethargy, the vast majority (79%) of nausea, and half of vomiting.
86% of those who ignored the first signs of seasickness worsened, leading to severe bouts of vomiting.
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption The movement of the ship in three changes disrupts the sense of balance and we experience nauseaHowever, experienced sailors often have their own tricks to help them quickly overcome seasickness. Sebastian Smith is one of them.
He often goes to sea with his wife Adele and two young daughters and has written several books on how to combat motion sickness.
“I never understood why everyone has such a different experience on the deck of a ship,” he says. “Obviously, seasickness has nothing to do with a person’s age or strength.”
"It can also come on suddenly. The person may be in good mood, feeling relaxed, and then his face suddenly changes. Ten minutes later he is already lying in the fetal position."
Smith says he also suffered a lot at first, but once he started swimming long distances, the seasickness went away on its own and never came back.
"By own experience I can say that there is also psychological aspect, he says. - Now I know that even if I have the first symptoms, I can cope with them. It's an experience and it matters a lot."
His wife Adele still suffers from seasickness on long trips, usually within the first one or two days. When their children were very small, they did not get seasick at all.
For someone the best way fighting seasickness can become a dream
“And, interestingly, everything was fine with Adele, although it would seem that everything should be the other way around, because she had to change diapers in a tiny stuffy cabin while rocking.”
As the children grew a little older, they began to suffer from seasickness. Nevertheless, now they cope with it, and always do.
“They may feel sick for three days, but then suddenly everything stops and they feel great again, like experienced sea dogs.”
Smith says sleep may be the best way to combat seasickness for some. As a rule, the motion is felt the least in the cabin, so even if you are better off fresh air, don't be afraid to go to the cabin and take a nap.
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption Abstinence from fatty foods can help cope with motion sicknessHowever, this does not help everyone, and many have to take medications such as Stugeron or Dramamine. However, Smith warns that any medications should be tried on land first, as some of them have a strong sedative effect.
Dawood says that for long acting- up to three days - first of all, you should try the Scopoderm patch (although the patches have side effects, and this must be prescribed by a doctor).
"Discuss the problem in detail with your doctor. From severe attacks vomit there is another one effective drug prescription drug (Ondansetron). You don't have to swallow it, just put it under your tongue."
The timing of the medication is also important. One sailor named Andrew Barton, interviewed by Leonard, organized a program called Adventure Sailing, in which several sailing ships regularly sailed between Bermuda and the Caribbean.
Smith advises avoiding alcohol for at least a couple of days before your trip.
On one occasion, when his fleet numbered nine ships with 54 crew, they were all stuck in Newport for three days due to bad weather. Every evening Barton asked them to take medicine for seasickness, thinking that they would leave port the next day.
When they finally set sail, there was a strong wind at sea and big waves, but seasickness began in only one person - the one who did not follow Smith's advice.
Experienced sailors advise taking medications for motion sickness not a few hours before the trip, but much earlier, at least the night before.
If you ever feel weird, chew something, even if you don't feel like it. Dry crackers, fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Some people recommend ginger cookies and ginger tea.
“And for some reason, oranges,” Smith adds.
In addition, three days before your trip, you should avoid foods that have ever caused you digestive upset, especially spicy and fatty foods, as well as foods with high content caffeine, salt and sugar.
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption Seasickness on a catamaran is three times less than on a monohullIf you feel nauseous while on a high-speed sailing vessel, do not lean over the side as you risk falling into the water. Take a bucket or biodegradable bag (these are often used by dog owners).
Since vomiting causes dehydration, drink more fluids to rehydrate your body.
Seasickness may be aggravated strong odors(for example, diesel fuel), overheating or hypothermia of the body, as well as eye fatigue from reading or working on a computer.
Listening to music or audiobooks does not lead to such problems.
To get rid of discomfort, you can look at the horizon.
While on deck, try to maintain your balance without holding on to anything. Jelte Bos from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam says this helps the central nervous system quickly adapt to new conditions.
If you are planning to spend the main vacation of your life on a big cruise ship Most likely, you will be fine even without ginger drinks.
Rough seas cause the ship to move up and down and constantly change speed.
Passengers on these large, stable ships rarely complain of motion sickness, because there is almost no movement on them.
Oddly enough, but your well-being may also depend on the shape of the vessel.
Recently, with financial support from the EU, a project called "Compass" was implemented (" Rational approach to reduce the symptoms of seasickness and increase the comfort and safety of passengers during maritime transport").
His goal was to study various types ships and how three the most important types accelerations (longitudinal, transverse and vertical) affect motion sickness.
The project found that motion sickness is caused by both horizontal and vertical acceleration. This means that on a passenger vessel with a catamaran configuration, seasickness is three times less than on a monohull vessel.
It is because of acceleration that we feel movement and we feel bad. Rough seas cause the ship to move up and down and constantly change speed.
According to Bos, the resulting vertical acceleration is a major factor in seasickness.
"Also, if you are above the ship's center of rotation, you will be moving both laterally and laterally." longitudinal direction, which will lead to horizontal acceleration and, as a result, seasickness,” he adds.
Another factor influencing motion sickness may be the stability of the ship.
Illustration copyright Getty Images Image caption For those who suffer from seasickness, sailing on a small boat just offshore can be a win-win option.According to Bos, catamarans generally heel less than monohulls - simply because their hulls are wider.
However, catamarans tend to be shorter than monohulls. This means that they rotate more on the vertical axis.
"Because last effect"It's usually less noticeable than the first, and on catamarans passengers are less likely to suffer from seasickness compared to monohulls," he says.
If big cruise ships aren't your thing and you prefer rowing or sailing boats on inland waterways, Bos says you'll probably be fine.
"Humans tend to be most sensitive to cyclic movements that repeat approximately every six seconds. When navigating inland waterways in a small boat, the period of rocking is shorter and does not affect us as much."
In general, the closer you are to the trees that Spike Milligan advised you to sit under, the less likely something that makes you seasick.
Seasickness - we all have experienced it at some point, regardless of the time of year. They just didn’t know that motion sickness was on the ground and in ground transport- this is also kinetosis
Another name for kinetosis is motion or traveler's disease.
It is the body’s reaction to changes in surrounding factors - movement.
That is, this concept includes all types of motion sickness: directly at sea, in vehicles, on a train, on a carousel and swing, and even in a cinema when watching episodes with fast movement or flashing rapidly changing frames, especially if you are sitting close to the screen.
Thus, people susceptible to seasickness can get motion sickness, even when stationary, in complete peace. Such people are not recommended to sit in the front rows of cinemas and watch 3D films with fast-moving sequences.
Responsible for susceptibility to kinetosis in humans vestibular apparatus. When motion sickness occurs, the body receives information from the eyes that contradicts the information received from inner ear.
As a result, an imbalance occurs, which subjectively manifests itself in motion sickness - symptoms of kinetosis (motion sickness).
Interestingly, not only people, but also animals can get motion sickness. For example, I once took a dog in a taxi from Nikolaev to Kherson (a little over an hour), but I had to stop twice because she was sick to the point of vomiting.
Training the vestibular apparatus is quite possible; over time, its condition changes, but radically in short terms It is impossible to remove susceptibility to kinetosis.
Here, however, a lot depends on your mood and willpower.
When I did my maritime practice in the North Sea on an SRT (medium fishing trawler) 49 meters long, we rocked very well, since this is a vessel with an unlimited navigation area and has contours close to an ellipse.
I kept waiting for the excitement level to reach 4 points, since I was told that this wave starts to cause people to get motion sick, and my grandmother and mother used to get motion sickness in any type of transport. As it turned out, my body did not inherit this feature. I coped with the pitching tolerably.
According to my observations, those who forced themselves to get up and perform their duties gradually somehow adapted to seasickness, and those who remained in their bunks only got worse.
Why is it tolerable and not excellent? Because there are no people who absolutely do not react to pitching.
This is how our body works. It’s just that some people experience an attack of nausea when pumping, others – headache, still others want to sleep all the time, and the fourth rushes at everyone in irritation. Some people tolerate rocking very poorly, even with health risks - their blood pressure drops, arrhythmia begins, and breathing problems occur. Such people, of course, need to avoid situations that can cause an attack of seasickness.
It’s not for nothing that in nautical schools curriculum sufficiently long practice at sea is provided so that a person, in addition to obtaining practical skills, can train his vestibular apparatus and check whether it can withstand prolonged pitching and whether it will remain functional.
There are situations when, even knowing about his susceptibility to seasickness, a person is forced to move by sea, land and air.
Therefore, it is very important to know the remedies for motion sickness in transport and stock up on them in advance to make your trip easier.
Kinetosis, motion sickness: means of control
There are no radical, absolutely reliable remedies to suppress motion sickness. But there are methods and means that can significantly improve a person’s condition: what to do if you get motion sickness in transport.
Moreover, what helps one person may not give anything to another. Therefore, if a method does not help you, you need to try another, a third... until you find what your body responds positively to.
1. People susceptible to kinetosis should not eat heavily before the trip. A couple of hours before the start of the trip, you need to have a light snack: hot boiled lean meat or fish, kefir or cottage cheese. Drink hot mint tea 30 minutes before your trip.
But you can’t go on a trip hungry either - you’ll feel sick from hunger. And if you add motion sickness in transport to this, the situation will become significantly more complicated.
When I was still preparing for the voyage during floating practice and was very worried about how I would cope with the pitching, an experienced “sea wolf” gave me advice: be sure to eat, even if you feel sick. Eat and lie down so that the food is at least a little absorbed, because when stressful situations The body needs energy very much. If you manage to retain food in yourself for at least a quarter of an hour, there will already be benefits!
2. Take with you a supply of candies, lemon (can be with sugar or honey), mint chewing gum. It’s better to leave salted fish or pickled vegetables at home, since after them they drink a lot of water, and excess liquid in the stomach with motion sickness there is no need.
American scientists tested how ginger works on volunteers who are susceptible to motion sickness. And it turned out that ginger powder is more effective than many drugs prescribed for kinetosis.
3. You need to prepare for the trip calmly, without haste, without getting nervous, since additional emotional stress will only aggravate the discomfort during kinetosis.
4. If you get motion sickness, do not read while traveling, as strained vision and letters jumping before your eyes can in turn lead to motion sickness.
5. Do not drink alcohol while traveling so as not to aggravate your condition. It's better not to smoke.
6. Do not look out the window when rocking on the water, because regularly changing images of water and sky can cause an attack of seasickness. I came to this conclusion from my own experience: the only time I got motion sickness in practice was when I looked out the window on the first day of the storm - it was very interesting when in the round window there were either waves or a bright sky.
Also, when traveling in a vehicle, do not look out the side window at the flashing landscape. Rapidly changing pictures will cause motion sickness, like in transport.
7. If you get motion sickness, choose night trips by car. At night, people get motion sickness much less often, since their vision is less active. But still, don’t look out the side window at the flashing lights. Better watch the road through the front window.
8. If you are on a long trip, flight or cruise, you need to periodically take cool shower or douse yourself with water. IN as a last resort, wipe your face, neck and chest with a wet cloth or a damp cloth with a mint scent.
9. If you feel the first signs of kinetosis, there is no need to feel sorry for yourself and suffer in bed. Take a break, remember the pleasant moments of your life, sing (at least mentally) and don’t get angry at the ugly reality. No one is to blame for this property of your body...
These simple measures will help you if you get motion sickness in transport and not even at sea or on an airplane, but in an ordinary car.
Nowadays there are also bracelets against motion sickness that are worn on the wrist. I haven’t encountered them yet, so I can’t recommend them yet. But you can experiment on your own. Maybe they will help you...
Seasickness - folk remedies
What to do if you get motion sickness, how to get rid of motion sickness and restore, or at least improve your condition?
Folk remedies for motion sickness:
1. Firmly hold a toothpick or match with the broken head in your teeth.
2. Place a validol tablet under your tongue and suck on it.
3. What to do if you get motion sickness in a car or other form of transport: sniff a cotton swab with a few drops of ginger or lavender oil. Keep a bottle of ginger or lavender oil. Their smell will improve your condition
4. What to do when motion sickness occurs: prepare in advance - mix 3 parts mint and crushed valerian root and 4 parts chamomile. Pour 5 tablespoons of this mixture into a thermos with a liter of boiling water, leave for half an hour. Have a glass of this before your trip herbal tea, and while traveling, drink half a glass twice a day.
You learned what to do if you feel sick in a car, plane, at sea or other transport. These simple steps will help you improve your condition.
What medications can be used for kinetosis
At the pharmacy you can buy Vertigohel, Dramin (tablets and suppositories), Avia-more, Kokkulin and Aerin. Dosage and method of administration - according to the instructions for the drug. Pay attention to contraindications and side effects!
But I would advise you to consult with your doctor to find the medicine that is right for you!
How to train the vestibular apparatus at home
What to do to prevent motion sickness in the future, how to get rid of seasickness?
If you are faced with the problem of seasickness, try (after the trip, of course, or at least a month before it) to train your vestibular apparatus.
With sufficient physical training - trampoline jumping, turns on the horizontal bar, spinning wicket machines (I remember they used to be on almost every playground).
How to strengthen the vestibular apparatus if you are not an athlete and never even do physical exercises?
And if your physical training leaves much to be desired, swing on a swing, ride on a carousel, even swinging in a hammock will be beneficial.
As you can see, training the vestibular system at home, even with the simplest exercises, if done regularly, can give positive results.
Don’t be lazy - prepare for your next trip at home in advance, rather than swallowing medications and suffering from nausea later!
Gradually the body will get used to it a little and the imbalance between visual information and inner ear signals will decrease or disappear completely.
Remedies for motion sickness in transport - traditional Chinese medicine techniques
Instead of special acupuncture needles, you can use a Dongbao massager or special sticks made from buffalo horn or the sacred Bian stone, which is mined in the highlands of China at the site of an ancient meteorite fall.
Moreover, the impact on these points can be used not only for seasickness, but also for fainting.
And at the first signs of motion sickness, you need to influence these points:
If nausea occurs during motion sickness, then you need to press DONGBAO on points that are located on the finger, on the leg and in the navel area:
If a person gets motion sickness when open eyes(from flickering) - near the window of a moving train, car or in a cinema, then you need to press your nose near the inner corners of your eyes until you cry.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. Each of us can use this, especially when using devices that do not injure the surface of the skin.
In order to reduce the predisposition to motion sickness, that is, to improve the functioning of the vestibular apparatus, you need to carry out rehabilitation ahead of time. They will help you with this biologically active additives produced by the international corporation Tiens.
The course varies depending on different types motion sickness.
1. Gastrointestinal type of motion sickness
For a month, take:
– Spirulina Tiens – 1 capsule
2. Weakening ear muscle- type of motion sickness
For a month, take:
— Cordyceps Tianshi — 2 capsules, 2 r. per day
— Biozinc Tianshi – 4 capsules, 2 r. per day
— Biocalcium Tiansha — 1 sachet, 2 r. per day
3. Puffiness of the eyes - a type of motion sickness
— Antilipid tea – brew 1 bag per day with 70 degrees per liter of water and drink throughout the day
— Biozinc Tianshi – 4 capsules, 2 r. per day
— Biocalcium Tiansha — 1 sachet, 2 r. per day
During this time, the functions of the vestibular apparatus will improve.
But if the disturbances in its work are very significant, then this course must be repeated 2-3 times a year.
In this article, you learned what kinetosis is: motion sickness, and also why motion sickness occurs in transport, a healing technique - what to do if you get motion sickness on an airplane, car, ship, or other transport.
Write in the comments, do you get seasick? Did you know what to do if you get motion sickness in the car and what anti-motion sickness remedies you can use in transport!
Those who are not used to losing ground under their feet get seasick.
Leonid S. Sukhorukov
Have you ever gotten motion sickness on the subway, on a plane, in a car, or on attractions? If yes, then you don’t need to explain what seasickness (kinetosis) is. If not, there are two options: either you are one of those unique people (less than 5%) whose body is ideal and ready to fly into space, or you simply have not yet experienced the seas. Let's talk about seasickness, its symptoms and treatment methods.
Motion sickness is a rather mysterious thing. Since ancient times, people have wondered why this happens, what provokes the body, how it can be hardened against seasickness? And why do the same people feel great, say, on an airplane, but on a Ferris wheel they get sick to the point of nausea? Why do many people adapt after a few trips to sea, while some continue to suffer throughout their lives? The latter, by the way, includes Admiral Nelson, who certainly cannot be called a land rat. Even in modern medicine You can find different answers to these questions and different versions of what is happening.
A conflict begins in the body due to conflicting incoming information from the inner ear and eyes. The vestibular apparatus is irritated, signals are sent to the brain, causing a strong release of histamine (the cause of nausea). Inertial forces cause in the central nervous and cardiovascular system failure. Simply put, our body cannot understand where these mechanical, regular and long-term vibrations in space come from. Your eyes indicate that you are standing on a solid surface, but your natural balancer desperately screams the opposite. You are looking forward to a great cruise and a sea of pleasure, but the body “sees” only chaos around itself, to which it tries to adapt.
Another observation: women usually tolerate pitching worse than men, and at any age. This, of course, is not an axiom (tell Helen MacArthur about it:), but the statistics are stable.
Attention! Some chronic diseases on board may escalate. Especially common: cholecystitis, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, inflammation of the rectum. Get a medical examination before leaving if you are not sure about your health. And at the same time, take a look at the dentist; a bad tooth can ruin any trip.
Symptoms
Mild (so-called latent) seasickness manifests itself moderately: weakness, fatigue, dizziness and drowsiness; occasionally it can make you feel nauseous, but not too much. Loss of appetite, food smells irritate. In general, women who suffered from light form toxicosis during pregnancy, they will perfectly understand what we are talking about. These symptoms are encountered by many newcomers who find themselves at sea for a long time for the first time. And the psychological attitude, although important, will not help much here - this is pure physiology. Good news: on a charter with a standard itinerary, you almost certainly won't encounter any real action, thank goodness. A yacht sailing in good weather and smooth winds in coastal waters will not let you feel hardcore. Normal body The average person adapts to new conditions on about the third day. The bad news: no one can predict in advance exactly how much motion sickness you will get, even in these warm conditions. There are people who do not tolerate long rides by car or train, but at the same time feel great on a charter, in the fresh air. It also happens the other way around.
Pronounced seasickness manifests itself more harshly: increased salivation, nausea and vomiting, dehydration, severe, painful pallor, trembling fingers, all kinds of intestinal problems. And again good news: even severe attacks of this disease can pass without a trace after initial adaptation. A group of people who are unable to overcome the disease even with help modern medicines, is extremely small in number.
Prevention
The best prevention seasickness is a healthy, trained vestibular apparatus. But if you have not had the opportunity to work as a stuntman, acrobat, astronaut or ballerina, this does not mean that nothing can be done.
Say NO:
1. Books, games on the phone, movies (the already stressed vestibular system will be greatly irritated)
2. Contemplation of objects flashing overboard/outside the window (for example, waves, glare, if you are by car - roadside poles). It’s better not to look down at all, look up and into the distance.
3. Alcohol (after the first sip it may seem to you that life has become much better, but you will soon see that this is not so)
4. Smoking: even if you are a heavy smoker, be patient a little, do not increase the load on the body. Moreover, smoking on a yacht is only allowed on board on the leeward side. Tarring at the stern, where it already sways more, barely moving away from the pier, while frantically trying to get into the ashtray - this is pure masochism
5. Fatty and heavy foods on the eve and in the first days of travel
6. Soda in any form, coffee
7. Lack of sleep: try to get enough sleep the night before. You already have a flight ahead, acclimatization in a foreign country, don’t aggravate the situation. Fatigue contributes to more bright manifestation motion sickness symptoms
8. Excessive use of perfumes and deodorants. Even your favorite smell, if it is strong, can significantly worsen your well-being on your first day on board.
There are now many types of seasickness tablets and patches (mainly anticholinergic and antihistamines). You will find plenty of information about them just by googling “remedies for seasickness,” and it is inappropriate to give specific recommendations here. However, it is best to familiarize yourself with the side effects and coordinate the choice with your doctor, rather than rely on chance. Such medications are usually used in advance, some time before going to sea.
But pills don't help everyone. Let's consider the classic ones, folk remedies against motion sickness on board.
1. Oddly enough, working at the helm is a great way to prevent the first signs of seasickness. Ask the skipper to let you stand at the helm. Focus your gaze on the stationary line of the horizon, concentrate your attention not on internal sensations, but on the boat itself. In general, try to look at stationary, stable objects and move your head as little as possible. It’s better to choose an object outside the boat: a bird, a cloud, a steamer on the horizon.
2. Vitamin C. Suppresses histamine and improves overall health.
3. Ginger. Eat 1 gram of crushed ginger an hour before your trip. Take ginger cookies and caramels with you. Drink tea with ginger. It fights nausea well.
4. Massage the point on inside wrists.
There are special acupuncture bracelets on sale with massage balls on the inside, they also help a lot. You can also click on the points located between the large and index finger both hands. It is best to do this with something thin, but not too sharp: for example, the corner of a plastic card.
5. Lemon. Hold a slice of lemon in your mouth. They also help many pickles(V small quantities) or cranberry.
6. Mint: pour 2 tablespoons of mint into half a liter of boiling water and drink without sugar.
7. Hold a match or toothpick between your front teeth, clench your teeth and concentrate on preventing the match from falling out.
8. Breathe deeply and evenly.
9. Drink more clean water.
10. If things get really tight, go down to the cabin, lie down and close your eyes: this will soften the confusion of the sensors. Most importantly, don’t forget to take a bag or some kind of container with you in case it gets worse. But in general, it’s better not to sit in the cabin for too long: fresh air and space are better than a closed, stuffy space.
Controversial and untested methods:
Covering your belly button with an adhesive plaster: a mysterious way to combat motion sickness, which is still found here and there, but what if it helps you?
- “draw” numbers from 1 to 10 in the air with your nose, then in reverse order, and so on several times. For some, this distracts, switches attention, but for others, such manipulations only make things worse
- firmly hold the magnet in your hand and hold it for a long time: there are tips to hold a coin or any small object in your hand
- slight rocking or moving your legs (from heel to toe): your body feels as if you are walking on the ground. But if you don't get into the pumping rhythm, this method can do a disservice.
Whatever happens, remember: no one has ever died from seasickness, this is not clinical case. The more you worry and stress yourself out, the harder it will be for your body to adapt. This is why working on board helps many people: a person feels responsible, the significance of his actions, and switches gears. If you are a fighter by nature, perceive seasickness as a challenge, as an obstacle that must be overcome and emerge victorious. Call on your sense of humor and self-irony to help: can you imagine how great you can lose weight without any diet? And what food savings! Think about pleasant things, convince yourself that everything will pass soon, everything will be fine. The next time you go out to sea, you will probably feel better.
Enjoy your holiday and stop getting motion sickness!
Seasickness... The feeling of motion sickness, which is popularly called seasickness, is often experienced under certain circumstances by people with a weak vestibular apparatus - the organ of balance. Main manifestations: feeling unwell, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. With significant motion, seasickness occurs in most people traveling by sea for the first time. The number of people who are not susceptible to seasickness is small (6-8%). IN best case scenario it simply causes unpleasant sensations; at worst, it will be so heavy that it will completely eliminate all the pleasure of swimming. This motion sickness is scientifically called kinetosis.
At risk of this disease: women, primarily pregnant women, as well as elderly people. In some cases, people at risk simply need to refuse to travel, but in general, if you follow some rules, negative consequences seasickness can be reduced.
Develop your vestibular system by special exercises: jumping rope, jumping on a trampoline or jumping from a tower into the water; rotational and nodding movements of the head; rhythmic gymnastics, dancing. You can take a special course of classes in a neurological clinic using special equipment.
The general rules before a trip are as follows: under no circumstances should you overeat - only a light breakfast, lunch or dinner. Before traveling on a bus, plane, or ship, you can take an anti-sickness remedy.
If you are flying on an airplane, be sure to take mint candies with you - they are sometimes specially handed out to passengers on airplanes. When buying plane tickets, ask for a seat that is located approximately in the middle of the cabin, between the wings of the plane - this is the least dangerous place in terms of motion sickness. From the drinks offered, choose mint tea.
In a car, you get the least amount of motion sickness in the front seat, but try not to turn your head, look forward, not to the sides. If you still feel seasick, ask to stop for about 15 minutes. Get out of the car, get some fresh air, and wander around the grass.
If you are traveling on a ship, choose a cabin in the middle part of the ship. You may start to feel motion sick if you stare at a swinging object. At the moment of motion sickness, try to focus your gaze on the horizon line.
Catalysts for road sickness are fatty, sugary foods, alcohol, overwork.
Mint decoction, red currant juice, and essential oil cloves and tangerine, ginger.
Exists large number patent medicines to help manage seasickness, but ultimately it is up to each individual to determine what works best for them. Read the directions for use of any medicine first. Do not take medications that make you drowsy. Do not forget that tablets are unlikely to help with seasickness if they do not stay in the stomach long enough. The tablets should be taken approximately two hours before departure (or when bad weather is expected).
If kinetosis occurs too often and gives you serious problems, you need to consult a neurologist.
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Ecology of life: We find out why our body reacts so painfully to monotonous rocking and what can be done about it...
Undoubtedly, seasickness is a very unpleasant phenomenon. Let's find out why our body reacts so painfully to monotonous rocking and what can be done about it.
The pirate ship looked just like something out of an adventure movie: on its bow there was an eerie figure in the form of the head of the gorgon Medusa, a Jolly Roger fluttered on the mast, and a Jack Sparrow lookalike with a braided beard greeted us on board.
We went dolphin watching off the coast of Tenerife, and my three-year-old was absolutely delighted with the trip, while I... tried to hold down my breakfast.
Seasickness is one of the worst enemies of vacationers. According to a recent study, cruise ship passengers cite seasickness as the top inconvenience they experience while on vacation.
Moreover, it is difficult to avoid. As British comedian Spike Milligan said, “The only way not to get seasick is to sit under a tree.”
However, many people dream of traveling by water - leisurely cruises, boat trips from island to island, or boat trips propelled only by the wind.
Some try to fight these terrible feelings, as I did, while others simply prefer to have solid ground under their feet.
Seasickness is a form of motion sickness. Car, sea and air sickness are caused by physical stimuli, and exercise sickness and cybersickness are caused by visual stimuli, but all these types of motion sickness are characterized by a common mechanism of occurrence.
We get motion sickness when the inner ear (or labyrinth) and central nervous system cannot recognize where the vertical plane is.
Or, in other words, when the sense of balance and equilibrium for which the inner ear is responsible is disrupted due to movement - for example, due to rough seas.
However, the main difference with seasickness is that in many cases it lasts quite a long time.
"Even the worst journeys by bus, car or plane don't last for days. Yes, the plane may be bumpy, but not for long," says Richard Dawood, a travel medicine specialist at London's Fleet Street Clinic.
While traveling in a car, you can stop and get out. On the open sea you can only dream about this. You feel trapped, and this feeling increases the likelihood of seasickness.
Even famous navigators suffered from seasickness, including Admiral Nelson, Charles Darwin and Christopher Columbus.
When the English ships of Queen Elizabeth I encountered the Invincible Armada, the Spanish admiral Duke of Medina Sidonia became seasick. It is believed that this was one of the factors leading to England's victory.
During the Roman Empire, the poet Horace wrote that everyone is equal in the face of seasickness: both the poor and the rich.
Beth Leonard, an experienced sea traveler, says many sailors today experience motion sickness to some degree. This usually occurs within the first two to three days of each voyage.
Most people get used to it within three days, no matter what attempts are made to cope with it.
Leonard surveyed 38 sea travel enthusiasts and found that three-quarters of them suffered from nausea every time they went to sea.
Another Yachting World survey of 223 people found that 62% had experienced symptoms of seasickness.
These include not only a strong feeling of nausea. Typically, it starts with milder symptoms, such as yawning or increased salivation, and then the condition begins to worsen.
A person breaks out in a cold sweat, feels dizzy and has a headache, feels tired, and it all ends with nausea and possibly vomiting.
During the first days at sea, many also complain of problems with concentration.
Thirty-three percent of Beth Leonard's respondents complained of drowsiness, a quarter of lethargy, the vast majority (79%) of nausea, and half of vomiting.
86% of those who ignored the first signs of seasickness worsened, leading to severe bouts of vomiting.
However, experienced sailors often have their own tricks to help them quickly overcome seasickness.
Sebastian Smith is one of them.He often goes to sea with his wife Adele and two young daughters and has written several books on how to combat motion sickness.
“I never understood why everyone has such a different experience on the deck of a ship,” he says. “Obviously, seasickness has nothing to do with a person’s age or strength.”
"It can also come on suddenly. A person can be in a good mood, feeling relaxed, and then suddenly their face changes. Ten minutes later they are lying in the fetal position."
Smith says he also suffered a lot at first, but once he started swimming long distances, the seasickness went away on its own and never came back.
“From my own experience, there is a psychological aspect to it,” he says. “Now I know that even if I have the first symptoms, I can cope with them. It’s experience, and it matters a lot.”
His wife Adele still suffers from seasickness on long trips, usually within the first one or two days. When their children were very small, they did not get seasick at all.
“And, interestingly, everything was fine with Adele, although it would seem that everything should be the other way around, because she had to change diapers in a tiny stuffy cabin while rocking.”
As the children grew a little older, they began to suffer from seasickness. Nevertheless, now they cope with it, and always do.
“They may feel sick for three days, but then suddenly everything stops and they feel great again, like experienced sea dogs.”
Smith says that For some, sleep may be the best way to combat seasickness. The cabin is usually the place where you feel the least amount of motion, so even if you feel better in the fresh air, don't be afraid to go to your cabin and take a nap.
However, this does not help everyone, and many have to take medications such as Stugeron or Dramamine. However, Smith warns that any medications should be tried on land first, as some of them have a strong sedative effect.
Davoud says that for long-term effects - up to three days - you should first try the Scopoderm patch (although the patches have side effects, and this must be prescribed by a doctor).
"Discuss the problem in detail with your doctor. For severe bouts of vomiting, there is another effective prescription drug (Ondansetron). It does not need to be swallowed, just put under the tongue."
The timing of the medication is also important. One sailor named Andrew Barton, interviewed by Leonard, organized a program called Adventure Sailing, in which several sailing ships regularly sailed between Bermuda and the Caribbean.
On one occasion, when his fleet numbered nine ships with 54 crew, they were all stuck in Newport for three days due to bad weather. Every evening Barton asked them to take medicine for seasickness, thinking that they would leave port the next day.
When they finally set sail, there was a strong wind and large waves at sea, but only one person began to get seasick - the one who did not follow Smith's advice.
Experienced sailors advise taking medications for motion sickness not a few hours before the trip, but much earlier, at least the night before.
If you ever feel weird, chew something, even if you don't feel like it. Dry crackers, fresh fruits and raw vegetables are great options. Some people recommend ginger cookies and ginger tea.
“And for some reason, oranges,” Smith adds.
In addition, for three days before your trip, you should avoid foods that have ever caused you digestive upset, especially spicy and fatty foods, as well as foods high in caffeine, salt and sugar.
If you feel nauseous while on a high-speed sailing vessel, do not lean over the side as you risk falling into the water. Take a bucket or biodegradable bag (these are often used by dog owners).
Since vomiting leads to dehydration, drink more fluids to replenish the body's loss of moisture.
One of the sailors Leonard interviewed recommended preparing as best as possible for the trip: for example, taking with you a supply of easily digestible food for the first five days.
Seasickness can be aggravated by strong odors (such as diesel fuel), overheating or hypothermia, and eye strain from reading or working on a computer.
Listening to music or audiobooks does not lead to such problems.
To get rid of unpleasant feelings, you can look at the horizon.
While on deck, try to maintain your balance without holding on to anything. Jelte Bos from the Free University of Amsterdam says this helps the central nervous system quickly adapt to new conditions.
When the first symptoms appear, he recommends drinking carbonated cola.
If you're planning on taking the biggest vacation of your life on a big cruise ship, chances are you'll be fine even without ginger drinks.
Passengers on these large, stable ships rarely complain of motion sickness, because there is almost no movement on them.
Oddly enough, but your well-being may also depend on the shape of the vessel.
Recently, with EU financial support, a project called Compass (A rational approach to reduce the symptoms of seasickness and improve the comfort and safety of passengers in maritime transport) was implemented.His goal was to study different types of ships and how the three most important types of acceleration (longitudinal, transverse and vertical) affect motion sickness.
The project found that motion sickness is caused by both horizontal and vertical acceleration. This means that on a passenger ship with a catamaran configuration, seasickness is three times less than on a monohull ship.
It is because of acceleration that we feel movement and we feel bad. Rough seas cause the ship to move up and down and constantly change speed.According to Bos, the resulting vertical acceleration is a major factor in seasickness.
“Also, if you are above the center of rotation of the ship, you will be moving both laterally and longitudinally, which will lead to horizontal acceleration and, as a result, seasickness,” he adds.
Another factor influencing motion sickness may be the stability of the ship.
A ship's maneuvers can be calculated based on its design. Taking into account weather conditions this makes it possible to predict how sick passengers will be on board - even before the ship is built.
According to Bos, catamarans generally heel less than monohulls - simply because their hulls are wider.
However, catamarans tend to be shorter than monohulls. This means that they rotate more on the vertical axis.
“Because the latter effect is usually less pronounced than the former, passengers on catamarans are less likely to suffer from seasickness compared to monohulls,” he says.
If big cruise ships aren't your thing and you prefer rowing or sailing boats on inland waterways, Bos says you'll probably be fine.
"Humans tend to be most sensitive to cyclic movements that repeat approximately every six seconds. When navigating inland waterways in a small boat, the period of rocking is shorter and does not affect us as much."
In general, the closer you are to the trees Spike Milligan recommended sitting under, the less likely you are to get motion sickness. published
