Have you ever wondered why some of the most passionate vacationers never cruise as a part of their travelling experiences? As you probably guessed already, the reason is that terrible seasickness feeling many people suffer from when on the water.
When the inner ear becomes stressed and overstimulated because of the rocking motions on the water, people start feeling dizziness, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness and exhaustion. After a while, this turns into more nausea and vomiting, which is often a long-lasting, torturing process.
You probably feel squeamish just thinking of the symptoms of seasickness. However, you’d be happy to hear that you do not need to fear these symptoms, and that seasickness does not have to be a reason for you to avoid cruises. Fortunately, there are many highly successful ways to treat and even avoid seasickness altogether.
1. Tips for Treating Seasickness
If you already suffer from seasickness and fear the day when you have to set foot on a boat or ship, several things will help you get rid of this bad thing rapidly and without a lot of effort.
Pop a Pill
There are many over-the-counter and prescribed medications that will help you get rid of seasickness symptoms rapidly. Antihistamines like Dimenhydrinate, Gravol and Dramamine are popular and very effective when it comes to preventing the key symptom of this condition – nausea.
The best thing with these is, you can get them at any drug store or pharmacy. These pills can make you drowsy, so try to take them once you get on board, not hours before. If you want to get rid of the frustrations you get over the seasickness on the boat, falling asleep is yet another advantage of these pills.
In addition to the pills, you can also use an anti-nausea patch. Ask your doctor about such patches and use them directly on your skin. These patches are usually put behind the ear to help the medicine get absorbed into your bloodstream rapidly and easily. Such patch is the Scopolamine Transdermal Patch.
Stop Dwelling on Feeling Seasick
Many people say that their seasick feelings go away when their mind is occupied. If you think this condition is a result of you being preoccupied with getting seasick in the first place, try to think of anything other than the symptoms.
Go For the Natural Treatment
If you do not want to pop pills every few hours or feel seasick often, it is best to use some natural remedies to treat the terrible symptoms of this condition. Here are some ideas:
- Acupuncture
Of course, ships rarely have acupuncturists, but this does not mean that you cannot take the traditional Chinese medicine with you. There are pressure bands like Acuband and Sea-Band in almost every drug store, as well as some more sophisticated and higher-priced bands like Reliefband that will help you get some acupressure on the inside of your wrist.
- Ginger
Ginger is a popular remedy for nausea for many people. It may not work for everyone, but there is no harm in trying this natural, healthy ingredient. After all, this is something you can purchase over-the-counter, or get in the form of food and even ginger ale.
- Chewing and sucking foods
When you suck or chew a food, this creates more saliva. The extra saliva reduces nausea because it neutralizes the amount of acid in the stomach. Try sucking on a lemon or bring some hard candies like peppermints. You can even eat apples to reduce nausea.
- Lemon
Lemon is not only good because it increases the amount of saliva, but it is also great for alleviating the symptoms. You can add some lemon to your water if you do not really like the sourness of the lemon wedge.
2. Tips for Preventing Seasickness
In order to save yourself from the trouble of having to find a way to treat it, you should take all steps possible to prevent seasickness in the first place. Here are some of the things you can do to save you the trouble of having to pop a pill or suck on a lemon.
Consume Carbohydrates
Instead of consuming those spicy and fatty foods, eat carbohydrates and light meals while on a cruise ship. If you snack on foods that are fatty and heavy, you are more likely to become seasick.
Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
If you want to avoid being seasick, stay away from caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages. Instead, drink some tea or lemon water.
Stay Hydrated
You have probably planned your cruise adventure days, if not months ahead. Knowing this, it is recommended that you prepare yourself for the trip before you leave. Start drinking more water a couple of days before you leave, and use regular intervals to control the intake.
Dehydration is a common trigger for seasickness, which makes it crucial to start hydrating ahead. Once you get on the ship, try to stay hydrated at all times.
Get Some Rest
You should be rested before and during the trip, especially if you feel like you cannot sleep on the ship. If you get plenty of sleep before the trip begins, you will reduce the chances of triggering seasickness.
Eat Light Meals
People say it is better to prevent it than treat it, and they are right. Therefore, you shouldn’t only eat light meals during the trip to treat nausea, but also before the trip to avoid triggering it in the first place.
Don’t starve yourself. This can have the same effect as overeating.
Stay in the Middle
Did you know that the middle of the vessel has less motion than the other parts? Knowing this, you should try to get a spot in the middle of the cruise ship. It is most recommended that you stay on the deck in order to get some fresh air.
Now that you know all these tricks and tips, you are ready to go on your new cruising journey.
About the Author
Justin is a teacher from Leicester, England, UK. When not teaching his little students and rooting for Leicester FC, he loves to share his thoughts and opinions about education, writing and blogging with other people on different blogs and forums. Currently, he is working as an editor at Essayontime. Follow Justin on Facebook and Twitter.