How to make sure you never get car sick again – and the things you should avoid while on the road
More than two thirds of Brits currently suffer from some kind of car sickness - but there are a few simple steps you can follow to make sure you don't feel ill the next time you head out on the road
CAR sickness can affect anyone and end up ruining any good road trip.
And with summer just around the corner and drivers planning more journeys around the country, it's even more important you know how to ward off those woozy feelings.
More than two-thirds of Brits get car sick, with at least a third experiencing vomiting as a passenger in someone else's vehicle.
A revealed the things motion sickness sufferers should avoid when in the car.
The most common reason for road sickness is reading, as passengers stare down at a book while their surroundings whizz past them.
And those travelling backwards or sitting in the back seat are also highly likely to feel ill in the car.
Top ten factors that are most likely to cause travel sickness
- Reading (39%)
Travelling backwards (38%)
Sitting in the back seat (31%)
Travelling while tired (17%)
After drinking alcohol (16%)
Watching a screen (15%)
Dehydration (15%)
Travelling while hungry (14.7%)
Standing while travelling e.g. on public transport (11%)
- After eating (6%)
According to GP, Dr Sarah Brewer, travel and motion sickness is caused when motion-detecting cells in the inner ears are overstimulated and send messages to the brain which don’t match the amount of movement your eyes are seeing.
Dr Brewer put together some tips to help sufferers ditch road sickness for good.
Eating greasy, fatty or spicy foods can allegedly trigger nausea once you get moving, so avoiding fast food always helps.
But you also shouldn't travel on an empty stomach, so have a light meal 45-60 minutes before travelling, and top yourself up with light snacks which are bland and low in fat.
Sitting in the front seat with the windows open is the best way to make sure you have a comfortable journey - fresh air works as a remedy for almost half of British sufferers.
Staring out at the horizon reduces the confusion in your brain, and stops you from becoming disorientated.
And for kids in the back, making sure car seats are high enough so they can see out of the window will stop them feeling ill.
As a worst-case scenario, have some travel sickness medication handy.
Dr Brewer recommended an antihistamine called cinnarizine which works on the vomiting centre in the brain to stop nausea and on the balance organs in the inner ear to reduce sensitivity to motion.
Dr Sarah Brewer said: “Your eyes tell your brain that the environment is stationary but your balance organs say that it isn’t - this triggers travel sickness.
“Travel or motion sickness is a condition that affects adults and children alike, and can make travelling stressful and uncomfortable.
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"Most people have experienced it at some point in their lives, however some people, particularly children, are especially sensitive as their nerve pathways involved are not fully developed. Before the age of ten, children are especially susceptible.
“Take cinnarizine 2 hours before a journey, and it will reduce your susceptibility to motion sickness for at least 8 hours.
"Just make sure you don't take sedating travel sickness medication or drive if you feel drowsy. If you prefer a more natural option, try ginger tablets or wearing acupressure bands on your wrists.”