What is Sea Sickness | Informational Article.

Maritime adventure is exciting, but seasickness is not. It is sneaky, and most people succumb to seasickness when their charter hits rough waters. Sea sickness occurs when your brain receives conflicting messages due to the complex physiological reaction of the inner ear and eyes to motion. It brings dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and sweating, which can quickly turn your dream cruise trip into a nightmare. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan to enjoy sailing and have to stay at home. Thankfully, some simple tips can minimize the effects of seasickness and help ensure smooth sailing without feeling green around the gills.

What is seasickness?

Sea sickness is a battle of our senses. It occurs when your brain receives mixed signals from your balance-sensing system in the inner ear and the eyes. For instance, if you are inside your cabin on a cruise, your inner ear may sense the motion, but your eyes don’t see the movement, then your brain gets confused, and you feel sick.

Ways to help calm it or stop it?

Follow the below helpful tips if you don’t want to spend time in the sick bay:

Get fresh air

If your sea sickness is overcoming, go out or open a window to get some fresh air. You can turn on the fan to blow air on your face if you can’t go outside due to your mode of travel or weather.

Keep your eyes on the horizon.

Going out on an open deck and keeping your eyes on the horizon can be helpful when you feel seasick. When you look towards the horizon, it will help your eyes see the motion. Then your brain will not receive mismatched sensory signals because your brain will be in alignment with the signs that your inner ear is sending it.

Eat smaller meals

To avoid feeling seasick, don’t eat spicy, salty, fatty, and greasy foods because you will pay their price when the waves hit. It would be best if you also minimize alcohol and caffeine intake while sailing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eating frequent and smaller meals before and during the voyage. Healthy snacks such as green apples are recommended to help quell nausea.

Take medication:

Neural activity causes sea nausea, and taking over-the-counter medicines can help soothe inner ear nerves and make your trip nausea-free. Moreover, it can suppress the vomiting response of your brain. It is recommended to take the medication one hour before setting sail. However, these medicines can cause drowsiness, so consult your doctor before taking such medication.

Maintain your fluid intake:

Seasickness and over-the-counter medicines can cause headaches and dehydration. So drink plenty of water, fruit juices, or clear soup to maintain fluid intake. However, avoid coffee, alcohol, milk, and high-acidity juices. Apple and carrot juice are the best low-acidity juices option.

Bottom Line:

A bout of seasickness can ruin an otherwise adventurous sailing trip. To enjoy smooth and pleasant sailing on a journey, plan ahead and follow the above tips to ease the symptoms of seasickness and feel ship-shape. Contact us for any questions you may have.

What is Sea Sickness?