Strategies for Improving Motion Sickness in Vehicles

In case you or a loved one get severe motion sickness in cars, boats, planes, trains, etc., here is a fairly comprehensive list of tricks that you might find helpful:

1. If possible, choose to be the driver rather than the passenger.
2. DO NOT use your phone or read in the vehicle.
3. Always roll down the window when it’s feasible, in order to get air blowing in your face (cool air is best). If rolling down a window isn’t feasible, then swivel air vents to blow air into your face if possible.
4. Carry ginger gum or candies (e.g., crystallized ginger), and put it into your mouth just before getting in the vehicle. Or if you don’t have ginger candies, try chewing any kind of gum or even any kind of food, as chewing, in general, seems to help some people.
5. Always gaze towards the horizon in the direction of travel, and be sure not to be seated backward.
6. Sit in the front of the vehicle when feasible.
7. Stay cool by taking off extra layers before getting in.
8. Eat greasy or fatty foods when you get out of the vehicle (not sure why this works, but it seems to for some people).
9. If having a conversation, explain to others that you’ll look forward (instead of at them) while speaking so as not to feel motion sick.
10. Consider getting Scopolamine from a doctor before going on longer trips. For instance, consider the Transderm Scōp behind-the-ear patch, which lasts for up to 3 days (which is extremely convenient for boat and road trips), or the tablet form. Warning: this has side effects for some people such as a dry mouth and throat and maybe a temporary slight reduction in cognitive abilities (be sure to investigate side effects before using), it’s also very possible to overdose so don’t take more than is recommended, don’t touch your eyes after touching the patch, and be careful about consuming alcohol when on it.
11. Take Bonine, Antivert, or the non-drowsy version of Dramamine before long rides when you plan to stay awake (all use the same active ingredient: meclizine). Or take regular Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) or promethazine if you plan to sleep. Warning: all of these can have side effects in some people; for instance, they tend to make me feel very out of it. Don’t mix these together or use them with Scopolamine unless it’s approved by a doctor, and don’t use these when drinking alcohol.
12. Try a simple smell based intervention, such as Quease Ease (which is a scented tube you can open and smell as needed) or essential oils (e.g., ginger, lavender, or mint), just be very cautious about accidentally getting essential oils in your eye. Many people find that while smelling certain scents, motion sickness is greatly reduced or even eliminated. On the other hand, motion sickness typically returns almost immediately. I think when the scent is no longer right at your nose, so you may have to continually breathe it in.
13. Consider buying and using one of the motion sickness devices that uses electricity, such as the ReliefBand. It’s tough to say if these really work – some people swear by them and say they cause dramatic improvements, other people say they feel nothing when using them. Unfortunately, they cost around $100. There are also much cheaper acupuncture variants (e.g., Sea-Band), which I’m rather skeptical of, and have never found helpful, but some people say it works for them.
14. If you feel really sick, try napping.