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Road Trip Ready: How To Manage Motion Sickness And Still Enjoy The Ride
BY Sibashree Sep 5, 2025
I just planned a road trip last month. It was a pretty bold step, and my daughter kept reminding me, “Mama, you will throw up again.” She was referring to an earlier road trip last year. It’s hard to miss the allure of a long-planned road trip, especially when it’s about celebrating the post-exam fun with my daughter. But I do have motion sickness and nausea, giddiness, and throwing up are the common problems I face. Thankfully, with time, I have learned how to manage motion sickness and still enjoy the ride. So, in this article, I will break down how you can take control of your symptoms and get the most out of your trip. It begins with talking to your doctor and sharing your symptoms of motion sickness. Sometimes, these medications help to alleviate your discomfort. Common medications include: Dramamine Meclizine Scopolamine Patches. For more details on how to manage motion sickness during traveling, continue reading below. Understanding Motion Sickness And How Treatment Works. Any treatment for motion sickness blocks the neurotransmitter associated with motion sickness. Here are some signs of motion sickness you must pay attention to. Nausea Feeling Warm Sweating Vomiting Feeling Drowsy Stomach Unrest Salivating More Than Usual You can talk to your doctor and look out for more indications that it may be at work. How To Manage Motion Sickness When You Are On A Road Trip? So, you are all set for the road trip. I usually start my trips in the morning, but you can start them at any time of the day. Now, whenever I go out on a trip, I eat light. However, it does not mean that you have to start the trip with an empty stomach. Just have your usual staples and preferably something with a high carb quotient, low fat, and spices. Then, drink enough water and take the medications. Now, I have my BP problems. So, I cannot start a day without it. It’s time to start the car. However, there are some other important aspects of how to manage your motion sickness on a road trip. So, here are the details. 1. Strategically Plan For Prevention Dress in lightweight clothing to offset feelings of warmth and overheating if you do experience symptoms. Take a sweater with you if you do get cold, but stick to breathable, lightweight fabrics and footwear while you're traveling.. Sitting on the passenger side may make it more challenging to avoid seeing visual movement because of the wider windowscape you have access to from that seat. 2. Avoid Activities That May Exacerbate Symptoms Additionally, avoid activities that may aggravate your symptoms. Activities to avoid include reading, using your phone or other devices to watch videos, or scrolling. Do not engage in drinking or late-night eating the day before traveling to ensure you’ll feel healthy for your trip. Experiencing a hangover or poor digestion can easily exacerbate motion sickness symptoms. However, to keep your mind relaxed, you can always listen to your favorite road trip songs. 3. Get Good Sleep The Night Before When we don’t sleep well, it is harder for the body to regulate body temperature. You may find yourself feeling overheated after a night of poor rest. Since feeling warm is already a symptom of motion sickness, make sure you get good rest the night before traveling to avoid worsening these symptoms. Get to bed early and block out any lights that may interrupt your sleep cycle. Further, to calm your nerves and get a sound sleep on the day before your road trip, you can drink chamomile tea. It works for me! 4. Take Your Medications On Time Take the motion sickness medications recommended to you by your doctor to prevent the onset of symptoms as best as possible. Follow the timing directions for your medications to get the most benefit before heading out on your road trip. For example, prescription Scopolamine patches might be applied 30-60 minutes prior to traveling in order to work. Talk to your doctor to determine when it's the best time to take your medications in order to manage your motion sickness. 5. Look For Balancing Visual Cues Looking at a stationary object as you travel can help your brain and inner ear find a constant understanding of motion, making you less susceptible to motion sickness symptoms. If you do find yourself feeling woozy, rest your head on the back of the seat to promote physical stability. You can help establish a greater balance by keeping yourself grounded in your seat. Close your eyes to reduce visual exposure to any changing movement in front of or to the side of you while in the car. 6. Take Short Breaks, Use Soothing Herbs, And Avoid Triggers I take short breaks throughout the trip to get fresh air. Furthermore, ginger and peppermints are my best friends to keep my stomach settled. Caffeine is a big NO for me when I am traveling. Also, it’s better to avoid smoking and using devices on the go. Moreover, I avoid wearing strong perfumes or using any strong odor in my car when I am on a road trip. This is my little secret on how to manage motion sickness on a road trip. 7. Take A Nap If You’re The Passenger. When I am not driving the car, I prefer to take a short nap. It may sound boring, but it works! If you can’t sleep, at least get some shut-eye by using an eye mask. Thus, your brain will get the signal of a consistent reality, and it will be easier for you to offset symptoms. Get Road Trip Ready Medication Use of Peppermint, Ginger, and Lemon Eating Right Taking Short Breaks All these help to manage motion sickness on the go. However, your symptoms can be different from mine or vice versa. So, for medications and tips to alleviate the symptoms, you need a prior medical consultation. Get road trip ready by doing all you can ahead of time to manage your symptoms. 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