Motion Sickness Prevention for Long Car Rides

on May 19, 2009 at 11:54 AM

summer vacation guide

car I get the WORST motion sickness on long car rides. Trust me, it's not pretty. And because we're planning a road trip from Chicago to Florida this summer to visit family, I've decided to do a little research on some tips for preventing motion sickness—for the sake of everyone's sanity.

The Mayo Clinic has some excellent tips for preventing motion sickness in both adults and kids:

Focus attention elsewhere. Try to distract from that queasy feeling by looking out the front window or having a conversation. For kids, it's always good to have a toy (not a book!) or interactive car game like "I Spy" ready to divert their attention.
Eat before the trip. Hunger can actually make motion sickness symptoms worse. Be sure to avoid overly sugary, salty, or greasy foods, which can irritate the stomach.
Cool air helps. Air conditioning or fresh air from an open window can work wonders.
Make frequent stops. Taking a break from driving can alleviate symptoms.

Some snacks and beverages that make also help to prevent or alleviate motion sickness and settle an upset stomach include: ginger snaps (ginger is a traditional remedy for nausea), saltines, fresh water, peppermints, lollipops, and ginger ale.

I've also heard that some people have luck with wristbands and over-the-counter medicine like Drammamine or Benadryl, but I have yet to try these.

What are your tips for preventing motion sickness?

About the author Kim Conte

has shoes that make people stop her on the street and ask "Where did you get those?" but it doesn't work for taxi cabs as she was hit by one ... and lived to tell the tale. She has more freckles than Lohan but way less attitude. And she's a fierce cook with tons of recipes to share -- and wishes she could share some with Bourdain.

Filed Under: illness, summer vacations

Comments (10)

RanaAurora

on May 19, 2009 at 1:10 PM

I either have to be driving, or have to be in the front passanger seat. Anywhere else in the car makes it much worse. It also can't be too warm in the car, and airflow that's cool CAN make a big difference as well, so yeah, I agree with their tips.

Drammamine just makes me sleep. Even half the pill and I pass out.

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sassy43082

on May 19, 2009 at 1:16 PM

I use the wrist band which works great for me. I will not set in the backseat which makes it worse

momcat437

on May 19, 2009 at 2:59 PM

I either drive or sit in the front passenger seat (my family knows me well!!) Also, I use the "less drowsy" Dramamine, and it works wonders!

qtmomof2

on May 19, 2009 at 8:09 PM

I can't ride in the back ...or read anything while the car is moving like maps, books, or whatever.

I like the fresh cool air too.

sokkamum

on May 20, 2009 at 9:44 AM

I either use the wrist bands or chewable ginseng tablets. I get motion sickness during car rides, flights, everything. These have worked the best!

razzbo

on May 20, 2009 at 9:45 AM

I agree with not having an empty stomach, air flow, and not sitting in the back. I've found that slowly eating grapes really helps too; it's something about the natural sugar and the juice and maybe keeping your mouth busy. I did that on a small sailboat, and it helped a lot.

Nonmember comment from margo

on May 20, 2009 at 1:05 PM

Our family has issues with motion sickness as well. For myself I make sure that I have eaten, have a clear view of the road ahead, carry gum in my purse. I also like to have original flavor goldfish and a coke. The coke seems to settle my stomach for some reason. For my kids I make sure they have also eaten, but do not allow them to have any dairy products prior or during our trip. (We found out the hard way that dairy is not always our friend.) I will also give them Dramamine (sp?) for a little extra "insurance" We also keep bags (ziploc style, but any will work in a pinch) with a paper towel or two in the bag for those moments when someone does get sick in the car, and a travel size pack of wipes.

Nonmember comment from susan

on May 20, 2009 at 8:31 PM

The best thing to eat to prevent motion or seasickness is drink ginger tea or eat ginger snaps, works well for me! What it does is equalize and calm the stomach down. I take it every time I travel, and dont get sick at all any more!

Nonmember comment from Anonymous

on May 24, 2009 at 7:23 PM

I get terrible travel sickness, it's particularly bad in summer due to the heat. I keep the car cool and eat a minty sweet every 15 minutes or so. I need to stop every 60 - 90 minutes and my only meals are dry bread and water until I'm done travelling for the day. I can't read, play video games or look at maps, the only entertainment I can have is music. Funnily enough, it's not as bad when I'm driving though, so the best prevention for me is to drive as much of the trip as possible.

Nonmember comment from Tom

on Jun 16, 2009 at 10:29 AM

I`ve been a life long sufferer of travel sickness and the only thing that works for me is the Gamlin travel visor. It works as well in the back seat as the front making it ideal for coaches and trains etc. I can also read and make notes from phone conversations, which I find particularly useful. I like it so much that I now prefer to be a passenger rather than drive.