Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

Just as the kids are old enough and big enough to go on the scariest rides in the park, the longest zip-wires in the land or the bounciest bungees on the planet, as adults we can find our thrill-seeking spirit somewhat diminished.

Of course, youngsters can experience roller coaster sickness too.

If you or someone in your family suffers from this thrill-seeking induced condition, the good news is that we have some insights and advice which may help.

With some motion sickness knowledge and a bit of preparation ahead of your day out, it may still be possible to rediscover that childhood adrenaline rush and exhilaration – and help younger members of the family to discover it if motion sickness has dampened their thrill-seeking spirits.

In this blog, we’ll explore why it can happen and how you can deal with motion sickness on rollercoasters, other theme park rides and activities of the more daredevil kind.

Understanding rollercoaster sickness

Roller coaster sickness, also known as motion sickness, can strike even the most daring adventurers.

Motion sickness is caused by repeated movements when travelling, whether that’s a roller coaster, car, boat, train or plane.

It’s caused by a sensory mismatch between the eyes, the balance organ in the ear and the brain.²

The rapid changes in motion, twists, turns, and high speeds on roller coasters can trigger this sensory mismatch, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, and headache.²

Why are adults more prone to roller coaster sickness?

The vestibular system is a sensitive sense organ found in the inner ear and gives us information about movement, balance and our position.³

As we age the vestibular system can become less efficient when it comes to assessing motion and movement which could be a reason why we become less tolerant to theme park rides.⁴

Find out more about motion sickness and why some people are more prone to it than others.

Preparation is key

All forms of travel sickness are types of motion sickness.

That means some of the traditional tips and advice we recommend for car sickness, seasickness and plane sickness can apply here too.

There are a few things you can do ahead of stepping through the gates of the amusement park and some start before your even journey begins.

Pack some just-in-case essentials: Particularly if you’re heading out with children, take wet wipes, and a couple of plastic bags for emergencies or to bring dirty clothes home in.

Take plenty of water with you to keep hydrated and to help relieve motion sickness symptoms if they do occur.

Eat light: Having a heavy, fatty or spicy meal before riding a roller coaster is a recipe for disaster.5 Stick to light meals at least an hour before you arrive at the amusement park to give time for your food to digest.⁵

Choose the right seat: Just as you sit in the front of the car or over the wing of a plane to keep motion to a minimum5 when boarding a roller coaster, opt for a seat where you’ll experience the least motion. This often means sitting in the front or middle of the coaster, as the back tends to be more turbulent.⁶

Ways to help relieve motion sickness after a rollercoaster ride

Sometimes motion sickness can strike after you’ve been on a ride.

Similar to feeling ‘wobbly’ when you’ve been on a boat, it’s caused by disruption to the balance function in the vestibular system.⁷

If you feel the symptoms of motion sickness coming on after a theme park ride you could try…

Sit down somewhere quiet, close your eyes and focus on taking slow, deep breaths.¹
Taking a walk and getting some breaths of fresh air.¹
Sip water to keep hydrated.¹
Come prepared with ginger biscuits, a flask of ginger tea or ginger tablets.¹
Don’t be tempted to get back on the rides if you’re feeling unwell.¹

Speak to a pharmacist about motion sickness advice

If you feel you need further help have a chat with your local pharmacist who can advise on suitable over the counter remedies.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets* or Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets* contain an active ingredient called hyoscine hydrobromide.

Hyoscine hydrobromide temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

*Kwells 300 microgram tablets. For the prevention of travel sickness, suitable for adults and children aged 10+. Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide 300 microgram. Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets. For the prevention of travel sickness, suitable for children aged 4+. Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide 150 microgram. Always read the label.

pharmacist helping a customer

References:

1 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

2 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/motion-sickness-seasickness-prevention-wristbands-glasses

3 https://cypf.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/health-and-development/sensory-processing/vestibular-movement-system/#:~:text=The%20vestibular%20sense%20provides%20us,are%20moving%20to%20the%20brain.

4 https://www.upstate.edu/whatsup/2015/0828-can-older-people-ride-roller-coasters.php#:~:text=Normally%20the%20inner%20ear%20responds,which%20are%20symptoms%20you%20describe.

5 https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-manage-motion-sickness

6 https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/20506949/rollercoaster-stop-motion-sickness/

7 https://www.nationaldizzyandbalancecenter.com/how-long-does-mal-de-debarquement-last/

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

Kwells 300 microgram tablets. For the prevention of travel sickness, suitable for adults and children aged 10+. Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide 300 microgram. Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets. For the prevention of travel sickness, suitable for children aged 4+. Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide 150 microgram. Always read the label

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness?

Travelling is a wonderful opportunity to discover new destinations and enjoy special family times together. But for some it can be overshadowed by travel sickness.

At Kwells, we’re on a mission to help everyone to travel happily, free from the upset, stress and worry travel sickness can cause.

There are some simple self-help methods aimed at preventing or relieving the symptoms – you’ll find tips and advice in our blog ‘About motion sickness’. But if you’ve already tried every travel sickness self-help tip in the book and feel you need further help and advice, speak to a pharmacist about an over-the-counter travel sickness remedy.

In this blog we’ll head into the science around travel sickness and the different types of travel sickness medication.

young parents sit in the boot of their car, having stopped on a car journey with a small child playing on a bike in a field.

What causes travel sickness?

Travel sickness, also referred to as motion sickness, is common and is used to describe the symptoms we might experience as a result of moving.¹

Depending how you’re travelling you may call it car sickness, seasickness or airsickness.

However you package it up, it’s unpleasant and can be distressing, particularly for children who are more likely to suffer from it than adults.²It can even make some of us anxious about travelling if it happens on a regular basis.

It’s caused by a sensory mismatch between the eyes and inner ear – the eyes sense you’re stationary while the inner ear senses movement.²Those conflicting messages cause confusion in the brain which then triggers the symptoms we associate with travel sickness.²

What are the symptoms of travel sickness?

Symptoms of motion sickness can vary from person to person, but they can include:²

Headaches
Feeling sick or being sick
Sweating and cold sweats
An increase in saliva
Feeling cold and going pale.
Feeling weak

Self-help methods to try to prevent or relieve travel sickness include:²

Eat a light carb-based food such as cereal a couple of hours before a journey.
If you’re travelling by car focus on the road ahead if possible.
Try to minimise motion by sitting in the front of a car, in the middle of a boat – preferably on deck – or over the wing of a plane.

How do travel sickness tablets work?

There are several different types of travel sickness medicines available over the counter from pharmacies which can prevent or reduce the symptoms of motion sickness.²

These include hyoscine hydrobromide, cinnarizine and promethazine.

Here we talk about how the main ingredients act to prevent or relieve travel sickness and how quickly they work.

Hyoscine hydrobromide

Hyoscine hydrobromide is the active ingredient in Kwells³ Adults Travel Sickness 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids Travel Sickness 150 microgram tablets* and is mainly used to prevent travel sickness⁴. It can also be used to reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth.⁴

It blocks a naturally occurring chemical in parts of the brain and nervous system called acetylcholine⁴ – a neurotransmitter which among other actions contracts smooth muscles and dilates blood vessels⁵.

For travel sickness, hyoscine hydrobromide is understood to temporarily block messages from the inner ear to the part of the brain that controls vomiting.⁴

It reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.³

Tablets containing hyoscine hydrobromide, such as Kwells, can be taken up to 20-30 minutes before a journey or at the onset of sickness for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.³

Cinnarizine

Cinnarizine is known as a drowsy, or sedating, antihistamine and it’s also used to reduce dizziness and sickness caused by inner ear problems.⁶

Cinnarizine blocks the effects of histamine – created in the body in response to an allergic reaction⁷ – in the brain to reduce symptoms of travel sickness.

However, it works gradually and can take up to four hours from the time you take the tablet for it to reach its full effect.⁶

Promethazine

Promethazine is also an antihistamine.⁸It’s used to prevent feelings of sickness (nausea) alongside treating hay fever, allergic skin rashes and, due to its sedative effect, treat sleep problems in adults.⁸

It works in the same way as cinnarizine, blocking the effects of histamine in the brain.⁸

As a travel sickness treatment it’s recommended to take a first dose at bedtime the evening before you travel if you’re going on a long journey and, if required, take a second dose on the morning of travel.⁸If you’re going on a short journey, take an hour or two before.⁸

All medicines can have side effects and you should read the Patient Information Leaflet that accompanies the treatment or speak to your pharmacist or doctor before use.

References:

1 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/#:~:text=Motion%20sickness%20is%20feeling%20sick,it%20or%20relieve%20the%20symptoms

2 https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness

3 https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/11746/pil#gref

4 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hyoscine-hydrobromide/

5 https://www.britannica.com/science/acetylcholine

6 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/cinnarizine/

7 https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/display-pil/pil-plain-english-guide-to-sensitivity-to-histamines-and-other-vasoactive-amines-5519#:~:text=What%20is%20histamine%3F,different%20effects%20on%20the%20body.

8 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/promethazine/#:~:text=This%20can%20cause%20symptoms%20such,brain%20and%20this%20reduces%20symptoms.

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned winter sports enthusiast, skiing is an exhilarating and enjoyable activity set amid some of the world’s most stunning mountain locations. Ski holidays bring wonderful family times and fabulous get aways with friends – speeding down the slopes, high altitude lunch stops and cosy apres ski gatherings around the fire.

Sounds pretty dreamy doesn’t it? So much so, we don’t really want to spoil it all with thoughts of motion sickness.

However, if you’ve ever experienced motion sickness while skiing, commonly known as “ski sickness”, the thrills can become spills, turning an epic adventure into a bit of challenge. But is doesn’t have to be all downhill if you do suffer from ski sickness.

In this blog, we will explore what ski sickness is, why it happens, and most importantly, how to cope with it to ensure a more enjoyable skiing experience.

Ski sickness symptoms

Sufferers of ski sickness, also known as Hausler’s disease – named after Rudolf Hausler the Bern University Hospital professor who is credited with discovering the condition^1/2 – experience similar symptoms to those suffering from car sickness or sea sickness.¹

These travel sickness symptoms include feeling sick or being sick, dizziness, a headache, feeling cold and going pale and sweating.³

As with other forms of motion sickness it’s believed to be due to contradictory sensory information from the eyes and ears to the brain.³These confusing messages cause you to feel unwell.³

Why does ski sickness happen?

When skiing down the slopes, the visual cues of rapidly moving surroundings might contradict the sensory signals from the inner ear, which detects motion and balance.⁴This sensory mismatch leads to symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and even vomiting.⁴

According to Hausler’s study it tends to happen more when there’s less visibility on the slopes or during a white-out and people sensitive to motion sickness generally are more prone to ski sickness.⁴He says it may even be triggered by wearing ski boots, the rigidity possibly hampering sensory messages from the foot to the brain.¹

Psychological factors such as a fear of heights, high speed, atmospheric pressure changes, a fall – and a liquid lunch thrown in! – may also exacerbate the symptoms, according to his study.¹

His research is based on 11 ski sickness sufferers but he estimates it may affect up to 10 per cent of skiers at some stage.¹

The difference between altitude sickness and ski sickness

Although some of the symptoms experienced by skiers can be similar to altitude sickness, the latter is caused by travel to altitudes of more than 2,500m above sea level too quickly.⁵

Symptoms can feel similar to a bad hangover and usually develop any time from six to 24 hours after reaching high altitudes.⁵ They’re often worse at night and include a headache, dizziness, tiredness, feeling and being sick, a loss of appetite and shortness of breath.⁵

It’s possible to have altitude sickness skiing, if you’re heading to higher up resorts. It can take a few days for the body to adjust to a change in altitude.⁵

There are self-help ways to prevent it including avoiding strenuous exercise for the first 24 hours after arrival, avoid smoking and alcohol, drink plenty of water and eat a diet that’s light but high in calories.²

Tips to cope with ski sickness

Choose the right skiing conditions

If you are prone to motion sickness, choose skiing conditions that are less likely to trigger it. Opt for easier slopes with fewer obstacles, as navigating through bumpy and challenging terrain might exacerbate your ski sickness.⁶

Be prepared

Eating a light, carb-based meal a couple of hours before a journey is something we often recommend in our blogs to help prevent travel sickness.⁷ The same can apply before you hit the slopes, go for something like cereal or bread but avoid anything rich or fatty that could upset your stomach. Make sure you stay hydrated too and keep water handy.

Acclimatise gradually

If you are new to skiing or haven’t not been on the slopes for a while, ease yourself into it. Start with gentle slopes and shorter sessions, allowing your body to adjust to the movement gradually.

Take frequent breaks

This is particularly relevant if you have motion sickness prone youngsters.⁸ Regular breaks during your skiing sessions can provide relief to your senses and prevent motion sickness from escalating. Use these breaks to get refreshment, rest and take in the stunning surroundings.

Focus on the horizon

Focussing a little above the horizon while in a car or boat can help to relieve or prevent travel sickness.⁷ While skiing, try to the same if the horizon is visible or focus on a fixed point in the distance. This can help reduce the sensory conflict between what your eyes see and what your inner ear perceives, mitigating motion sickness symptoms.⁷

Motion sickness remedies

Aside from removing your skis – which Hausler concluded was the quickest way to relieve ski sickness – he suggested that standard travel sickness medication could be an option for ski sickness sufferers.²

If self-help methods aren’t working and you wish to find out more about suitable treatments, speak to your local pharmacist for advice.

Kwells travel sickness tablets for adults and Kwells Kids for children aged four and over contain an active ingredient called hyoscine hydrobromide which temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.⁸

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before a journey or at the onset of travel sickness.⁸

Don’t let ski sickness ruin your trip

Ski sickness can be an unpleasant aspect of winter sports for some, but it doesn’t have to ruin your ski trip.

With a little preparation and self-care, you can make skiing a more enjoyable and memorable experience without the unpleasantness of motion sickness. Happy skiing!

References

1. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/slope-motion–professor-identifies-ski-sickness/2620644

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_sickness

3. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7762376/

5. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/altitude-sickness/

6. https://newtoski.com/skiing-with-vertigo/

7. https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness

8. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/11746/pil#gref

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disability which is caused by differences in the brain.¹

Autism may cause restricted or repetitive behaviour or interests, different ways of learning, difficulty paying attention or moving.¹

According to research, it’s possible children and adults with autism may be more susceptible to travel sickness, also known as motion sickness.^2/3That can mean that travel can be yet another challenge for people with autism and their family.

Smiley child looking out of a car window

Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a developmental disability which is caused by differences in the brain.¹It can mean people with autism have problems communicating socially and interacting.¹

While people without autism may display some of the symptoms, those with ASD can find life extra challenging with these typical characteristics.¹

Generally, children aged two to 12 years are known to be particularly susceptible to travel sickness⁴ but heightened sensory sensitivity in some youngsters with autism can cause it or make it worse, increasing the chances of anxiety and nausea.²

In this blog we’ll take a little journey to provide information on why it’s believed to be linked, as well as tips and advice on how to manage those trips should it occur.

After all, we’re here to help you to travel as happily as possible and live life to the full no matter what potential roadblocks seem to lie ahead…

The link between autism and travel sickness

The link between autism and increased travel sickness susceptibility is thought to be connected to the vestibular system⁵, a sense organ which helps the body to regulate balance and movement⁶.

Between the eyes and ears, it sends messages to the brain about where we are and the movement we’re experiencing.

Travel sickness is caused by a sensory mismatch or conflict of information – essentially the inner ears sense movement but the eyes don’t.⁷

The vestibular system is one of the most sensitive and important sense organs in the body⁶ and many individuals with autism will have some degree of vestibular dysfunction.

So, coupled with any additional sensory processing issues, this can make people with autism more susceptible to travel sickness than those without ASD.

Front view of young child in the backseat of a car with some luggage

Dealing with travel sickness

Travel sickness is common, particularly in children.⁴Fortunately, we tend to grow out of it in our early teens but it can stay with us into adulthood.⁴If you’ve ever suffered, you’ll probably remember it all too well!

Feeling sick, being sick, feeling weak, cold and going pale – some of the most commonly experienced symptoms which can be unpleasant and distressing for anyone.⁸But for children and adults with ASD, it can be particularly stressful and that in turn can be stressful and upsetting for those around them.

If you’re travelling by car, it’s easier to stop when convenient but the issue of travel sickness can be trickier to deal with on a boat, plane or train. We understand long journeys don’t suit everyone but the destination is what makes them worthwhile.

When it comes to preventing or easing travel sickness symptoms in youngsters – or adults – with autism, it’s as much about comfort and distraction as it is about being well prepared with things like wipes, water, healthy snacks, a change of clothes and cleaning aids.⁹

Tips for managing travel sickness & autism

Here are a few tips which will help to go a long way to making car travel less stressful and hopefully a lot happier.⁹And most of them can be adapted for travelling on other types of transport too!

If your child is good at travelling for say 30 or 50 minutes – known as the ‘wellness window’ – try to plan journey breaks to coincide with the time they’re likely to start feeling ill. You can stop off for toilet breaks or a short walk, helping to ease symptoms and reduce the chances of any upset.

What we wear can make a big difference – who hasn’t got a favourite pair of joggers or a slouchy sweat top they love to lounge in? Whatever they favour clothes wise, yes even pyjamas, if it makes them feel more comfortable why not wear it to travel in?

Reading a book, playing computer games or looking down to watch a film is generally not advised for travel sickness sufferers. If a favourite movie or TV programme would make them feel better, why not download it onto a tablet and secure it to the top of the front seat. That way they’re looking straight ahead and not down.

Travelling can be a sensory overload for some people with autism, especially children. Soothing music, a podcast, singing or playing guessing games as a family are good distractions. If your passenger is sensitive to lights and you’re driving at night you could try blocking the side windows in the back.

Planning ahead

Yes, there’s plenty you can do before you even step foot outside the door.

This will help to give you peace of mind and help you to feel more in control should travel sickness strike.

A few golden rules to bear in mind before you even start your journey include⁸:

Avoid eating a heavy meal before travelling opting for a light snack with carbs such as cereals around an hour before you set off.
Plan breaks into your car journey for refreshments such as water, fresh air and a short stroll.
Keeping motion to a minimum can help so if you’re booking a flight or a cruise try to book a seat over the wing of a plane or a cabin in the middle of the boat. Looking at the horizon can help to relieve symptoms so if passengers are old enough sitting in the front of the car is probably better.
Strong smells such as petrol, perfume and diesel fumes can make sufferers feel worse so try to avoid them. And be careful what you put in those sandwiches!

Managing nausea during travel

The nausea usually felt by travel sickness sufferers is one of the most unpleasant and commonly experienced side effects.

Here are a few ways to relieve it¹⁰:

Sit in the front of a car or in the middle of a boat to reduce the feelings of motion
Look at the horizon or a fixed point straight ahead of you
Breathe in fresh air if you can, open a car window or if you’re sailing stay on deck
Close your eyes and breathe slowly while focusing on your breathing
Talking, listening to music or singing songs are good distraction techniques for children
Break up long journeys with stops for fresh air, a drink of water or a walk

If you’ve tried all the self-help methods to relieve or prevent travel sickness, don’t worry. Your pharmacist will be able to advise and recommend the best remedy and treatment for your child.¹⁰

These include¹⁰:

Patches – for adults and children over 10.
Acupressure bands – these don’t work for everyone.
Tablets – dissolvable tablets are available for children.

Children’s travel sickness tablets & medication

Travel sickness tablets such as Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.¹¹

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.¹¹

The active substance in Kwells tablets is hyoscine hydrobromide which temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.¹¹

Kwells Kids are available without a prescription from pharmacies and supermarkets but you should always read the Patient Information Leaflet included in the product carefully and your pharmacist if you need more information or advice.¹¹

Before giving Kwells Kids tablets to your child you should see your doctor if they suffer from seizures or fits and a range of other conditions listed in the Patient Information Leaflet.¹¹

Helping you to travel happy

If you have a child who is autistic you may be understandably more anxious ahead of journeys. It can be an added challenge to everyday life. The good news is most children grow out of it and there is much hope on the horizon for less stressful, travel sickness free trips.

For those of us who don’t leave travel sickness behind, we learn how to manage it the best we can, relying on self-help methods mentioned above and the treatments available, allowing us to make the most of travelling to see friends and family, explore new places and experience new adventures.

Try not to get too stressed ahead of a journey, worrying about what might go wrong. Being as prepared as possible will help to ease your concerns and give you a strategy for dealing with all possible eventualities. Instead try to focus on your holiday or day trip and the lovely memories you’ll make. It will be well worth it in the end!

References

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

Many of us will be driving – or flying, travelling by rail or even sailing – ho, ho, home for Christmas!

Some of us will choose to spend it elsewhere in the UK, in a cosy cottage with a roaring fire maybe, or head aboard for some winter sun or snowy mountains.

Whatever your destination, Christmas is a time of coming together with family and friends and there’s excitement in the chilly air as we make our travel plans.

Not only is it a good idea to get the preparation out of the way before you get bogged down in the general festive frenzy, it’s also one of the busiest travel periods of the year so if you’re booking rail or flight tickets it makes sense to do it as far in advance as possible.

Travel Sickness at Christmas

Unlike the summer travel season, which spans several months, the Christmas holidays are crammed into two weeks which signals busier roads and competition for seats on transport.

Getting organised and everything in order early doors will help to eliminate some of the pressure ahead of your journey.

As well as knowing a thing or two about travel sickness we’ve amassed rather a lot of Christmas travel experience over the years and we’re pleased to share!

And it’s not just honed from learning from our mistakes!

There’s some good advice from the more practical and prepared among us too, so here are some tinselly tips to help you travel happy over the festive season.

6 tips to avoid travel sickness for road and rail travel

It’s safe to say if you’re travelling in the run up to Christmas Day the roads will be as packed as Santa’s sleigh and rail travel will be much busier too. Rail services are quite often reduced over the Christmas period while operators take the opportunity to carry out maintenance when there’s less passenger demand so bear that in mind too.

With some foresight and forward planning you can minimise any disruption to your journey and keep Christmas spirits high – cranking up a festive playlist is a must!

Travek Sickness at Christmas

Firstly, a list of what you’re planning to take – including presents – and a ‘to do’ list can help lighten the load amid the Christmas chaos. If you’re going by train, travelling light goes without saying. Forcing your way down a train laden with luggage and gifts will be tricky!
You could also jot down the things you’ll need for your journey, especially if there’s children on board; snacks and refreshments, pillows and blankets for napping in the car if it’s a longer trip, and if travel sickness is likely, a handy grab bag of essentials such as sick bags, wipes, paper towels, hand sanitiser and a disinfectant cleaning aid will give you peace of mind.

Plan ahead if you’re driving – check out your route for any roadworks and try to plan around them. Stuck in a traffic jam listening to Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree for the 10^th time would tip anyone over the edge.
If you can avoid peak travel times do. Fridays are always busy, particularly leading up to a Christmas weekend so if you can go the day before or early on a Saturday morning. If you’re visiting family or friends maybe travel the day before and stay over. If you’re booking train tickets, off-peak times are usually cheaper and quieter.

Keep an eye on the weather and check right up to travelling. Wintry weather can be unpredictable so be prepared to factor in additional time and potentially rethink your plans if you have to.
In the midst of remembering everything you need to take it’s easy to forget about the car you’re travelling in – the last thing you need is a breakdown on your Christmas mission so make sure everything is running as it should be in the colder weather and keep de-icer handy.

6 tips for travel sickness ahead of traveling abroad

Whether you’re breaking from tradition and escaping to sunnier climes or you truly want to embrace Christmas in a magical winter wonderland, there’s plenty to think about.

Hopefully with this advice the excitement can start as soon as the journey begins, tis the season to be jolly after all!

Avoid peak travel periods when booking if you can. Work schedules can make this tricky but it can save the stress of long queues and waiting times. It can also save you money too. Christmas Day itself is usually the cheapest time to fly followed by Christmas Eve. Prices tend to go up just before and after Christmas.
It sounds obvious but check your passport is still in date before you book your trip.

Don’t forget travel insurance and once everything is booked store all your travel documents in a handy folder or on your mobile – having something on paper can give you peace of mind in case you forget to charge your phone!

Make a list of everything you need to pack, including presents! You can also make lists of what you need to do such as booking airport parking, arranging taxis, who’s looking after the dog and so on. – Maybe add ‘charge phone’ to that list too!

When it comes to packing presents remember your baggage allowance. You could try having a word with Santa to see if he’ll deliver them for you but it’s advisable to just take the main gifts on the Christmas list. And there’s little point in gift wrapping before you leave otherwise you could find yourself delayed at airport security! And don’t forget if you’ll be receiving gifts, you’ll need suitcase space to bring them home.

On the day of travel allow yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, especially if it’s close to Christmas Day. Lots of other people will be heading off too so setting off earlier will help to account for any traffic delays or bad weather.

Travel Sickness at Christmas

Cross travel sickness off your Christmas list

If anyone in your Christmas travel party is prone to travel sickness, try not to get too anxious about it and don’t let it put a damper on the excitement of the journey.

There are things you can do to minimise the risk of it occurring such as having a light carb-based meal such as cereal an hour or two before you set off and if you’re travelling by car plan in time for a few stops to get a little exercise, refreshment and fresh air.¹

You’ll find lots of handy hints and advice, plus an insight into what causes the condition, including car sickness and child travel sickness in our blog.

If you find self-help methods aren’t effective and you need further help, speak to your pharmacist for travel sickness advice and suitable over-the-counter travel sickness remedies.

We provide travel sickness tablets for adults and kids travel sickness tablets. Kwells Adults Travel Sickness 300 microgram tablets or Kwells Kids Travel Sickness 150 microgram tablets can be used on short or longer journeys and taken every six hours – no more than three times in 24 hours.

Because Kwells travel sickness tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

You can browse our products here.

If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

References

https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

What is motion sickness? Causes & treatments

Many of us have experienced motion sickness at some point in our lives.

In fact, one in three people are considered ‘highly susceptible’ to the condition and pretty much everyone is susceptible to it if there are significant amounts of motion!¹

small child peaking their head out of a window

What is motion sickness?

Motion sickness is the ill-feeling you can get from motion – that could be travelling by car, boat, plane or train, riding a roller coaster or VR gaming¹ – a relatively new discovery in the motion sickness stakes which is commonly known as VR gaming sickness.

We say relatively because motion sickness – or travel sickness – goes back to when wheels were first put in motion and when the first ships sailed the high seas.²

It was known as cart or ship influence and the word ‘nausea’ – a common symptom of motion sickness – comes from the Greek ‘nausia’ or ‘nautia’ which originally meant seasickness.³

What causes motion sickness?

Motion sickness is understood to be caused by a sensory mismatch which confuses the brain. While our eyes are telling our brains we’re not moving because we’re sitting down – particularly if we’re looking down at our phones or reading a book – our inner ears are sensing motion.⁴

This mismatch of information causes a conflict in the brain which can then trigger the symptoms of motion sickness.¹These symptoms include feeling sick (nausea), sweating, headaches, increase in saliva, feeling cold and weak and going pale.⁵

Why am I prone to motion sickness?

Whether it’s you or your child or another family member prone to travel sickness, it’s unpleasant and it can be upsetting, particularly for youngsters.

To be fair it’s not fun whatever age you are and can make you a little anxious about a journey – or a day at the theme park!

It’s not fully understood why some people are more susceptible than others.

It’s more common in children aged two to 12 – babies rarely suffer from it* – and women, especially during pregnancy or menstruation which may be linked to fluctuating oestrogen levels.⁶

Those who suffer from migraines appear more likely to suffer from motion sickness, there’s even been studies into whether it’s a genetic or inherited condition.¹

How to stop motion sickness

Kwells is here to try and help everyone to travel happier and with over 70 years of expertise in providing over-the-counter travel sickness remedies, we know more than a thing or two about trying to prevent it.

First and foremost, motion sickness shouldn’t stop you from travelling, going on adventures and doing the things you enjoy. Depending on how you’re getting to your destination – or even if you’re just staying put with your VR gaming headset – there are things you can try to prevent or relieve the symptoms of motion sickness.

If you’re travelling in a car, boat, plane or train it’s best to be prepared with bags, wipes, etc – just in case. Eating a light, carb-based food like cereals a couple of hours before a journey can help to reduce car sickness, seasickness, airsickness or train motion sickness.⁵

Plan some breaks into your car journey to get some fresh air or go for a short walk and take plenty of cold water to drink.⁵Sitting in the front of a car, over the wing of a plane or in the middle of a boat helps to keep the motion you experience to a minimum.⁵

Closing your eyes can help to reduce the sensory signals to the brain – sleeping is even better if you can.⁵There are several things to avoid, reading being the most obvious, but an audiobook, podcast or music is a good way to distract the brain away from those motion signals.⁵

Don’t be tempted to eat too much before a journey and try to steer clear of fatty or spicy food.⁵Looking ahead at the road – a driver’s eye view if you like, as drivers are less likely to get motion sickness – or looking at the horizon can also help.⁵

Father and son playing video games

How to prevent motion sickness on rides?

As kids we queued for hours and clamoured to get on the fastest rides and the highest rollercoasters. By the time our own children are big enough we can be a little less keen and a lot queasier.

That doesn’t mean we have to miss out on all the family fun though – following similar advice given for motion sickness while travelling, we may still be able to scream to go faster with the best of them!

Before you take on the highs, lows, ups and downs of the theme park, try eating a light, carb-based meal an hour or two beforehand – it’s best to avoid the temptation of fairground burgers vans! Try to pick a seat in the most stable part of the ride or carriage, usually the middle.

VR gaming sickness

Motion sickness is an unfortunate side effect for some VR gamers and one that headset manufacturers are constantly looking to fix.

It’s caused by the same sensory mismatch – you’re standing still but the virtual environment is moving around you.⁴

It’s the lag time or ‘latency’ in the game – which is the time it takes for movement to register on the headset display – which is thought to cause the brain to receive confusing signals.⁴

To reduce the risk of VR gaming motion sickness try playing for shorter periods of 15-30 minutes and build up gradually. Take regular breaks, step outside for fresh air or keep the room cool by opening a window. Try sitting down to restrict your movements and therefore minimise disorientation.

For more tips, insights and advice head to our VR gaming sickness blog here

Ever felt nauseous or lightheaded while scrolling away on your phone or staring a computer screen for too long? This is known as cybersickness and while it’s not the same as VR gaming sickness in that physical movement isn’t involved, a moving screen can still cause the same sensory mismatch. Try to take a break and get some fresh air and refreshment to relieve the symptoms.⁷

Further help

So, what can you do if self-help methods aren’t working?

You can speak to your local pharmacist for motion sickness medication advice.⁸They will be able to provide information and advice on suitable over-the-counter remedies.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets* or Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets* can be used on short or longer journeys and taken every six hours – no more than three times in 24 hours.

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

IMPORTANT

Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine in pregnancy.

You can browse our products here

If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

References:

1. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/motion-sickness/#frequency

2. https://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/central/motion.htm

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1471970/#:~:text=The%20word%20nausea%20comes%20from,or%20feeling%20sick%20(adjective)

4. https://kwellstravel.com/blog/travel-sickness-tips/

5. https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness – nav-0

6. *Fasttrack: Managing Symptoms in the Pharmacy – Alan Nathan

7. https://www.whijournal.com/article/S1049-3867(08)00010-8/fulltext

8. https://www.healthline.com/health/cybersickness#vs-motion-sickness

9. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

How to prepare for your first cruise

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting – a wave of excitement in fact!

There’s usually a whole host of destinations to explore, an abundance of on-ship activities and entertainment on offer, plus an absolute buffet of dining opportunities to pick and choose from.

Admittedly that means there are more decisions to make when it comes to planning and packing than on a traditional land-based holiday. So, whether you’re travelling with friends or family, you want it to be as smooth sailing as possible and it’s best to be prepared. From that pre-cruise checklist to travel tips once you’ve set sail, Kwells is here to help you enjoy the journey! Here’s our guide to ensuring everything’s watertight before you leave and once you’ve set sail.

Packing the essentials

You’re all booked, what’s next? Once the tickets, luggage tags and pre-check-in information are all nicely dealt with through your cruise line operator, you’ll be able to book those excursions and dining reservations – a real taste of the adventure that awaits!

Unless you’re cruising around the UK, you’ll obviously need a passport and depending on where you’ll be travelling to, you may need a visa or other forms of official ID – best to check all this with your cruise line or travel agent.

The countdown to riding the wave

Whether you’re a super organiser who likes to prepare well in advance or someone who decides on the contents of their suitcase the day before your holiday, there are a few extra considerations when preparing for a cruise and it’s best to avoid being too last minute.

Of course, clothing choices will be based on the climate you’ll be visiting but as a cruiser, you’ll also need to factor in dress codes including any formal occasions or themed nights. That said, don’t panic and throw everything in just in case. Cabins usually have more limited wardrobe and storage space and you don’t want to be forking out for excess baggage charges.

Clothing basics include swimming attire, shorts, t-shirts, jeans and comfy shoes to walk in, as you’re likely to be clocking up a fair few miles while sightseeing on dry land. Then there’s the evening dress code ranging from cocktail wear and suits – tuxedos even! – to the sort of more casual attire you’d usually wear on a night out. Jeans are usually ok for buffets but keep the beach wear, baseball caps and flip-flops for poolside!

Packing the extras

There’s no set-in stone dos and don’ts when it comes to packing toiletries and personal grooming accessories for your cruise – just decide on all the essentials that you’d usually take on holiday.

A first aid kit can come in handy, as can a laundry bag, zip lock bags for storage and something suitable for carrying wet clothes back from any beach days.

Maybe consider a money belt to store your cash, cards and official documents such as passports and a driving licence if you’re planning to hire a car. Change can also be useful for tips.

Seasickness preparation

Worries over whether seasickness will strike can certainly put something of a dampener on going on a cruise, particularly if you’ve never been on one before and you’re wondering if it will spoil your experience.

The good news is, in the worst-case scenario, the majority of passengers who do feel seasick tend to experience it within the first 48 hours of being on a ship or boat before acclimatising and getting their ‘sea legs’.¹

What is seasickness?

Seasickness is a form of motion sickness, it’s caused by the inner ear sending different signals to your brain from those your eyes are seeing.²The inner ear senses motion while the eyes sense you’re not moving and these confusing messages can cause you to feel unwell.²

Symptoms of seasickness

Symptoms include feeling sick, feeling weak, headaches, feeling cold, going pale and sweating.³As with car, plane or train travel there are things you can try to prevent or relieve seasickness before you go down the route of taking seasickness medication.

If you’re concerned, know you’re prone to seasickness or you’re travelling with someone who is, try these tips³:

Ahead of your journey avoid eating a heavy meal, opt for a light, carb-based food like cereal an hour or two before travelling.
You can keep motion to a minimum by sitting in the middle of the ship, preferably on deck where you can breathe fresh air – the same applies when selecting your cabin.
It may sound odd but try not to look at the waves! Look at the horizon instead.

You’ll find more tips on preventing seasickness – and travel sickness in general – here.

What to do if you’re sick

If you’re sick take tiny sips of water – be careful not to drink too much for the first 10-20 minutes or you may be sick again.³
Get some fresh air and try a cool flannel on your forehead.³
If you still feel unwell try to sleep and when you feel well enough, try a light carb-based snack.³

Motion sickness is common in children³ – find tips and advice on how to minimise the risk of it happening and how to be prepared in our blog.

Still moving?

Sometimes when you leave a boat or ship you can still feel like you’re on it, almost like the ground is rocking beneath your feet!³

This is known as ‘mal de debarquement’ (French for ‘sick on disembarking’) and is a sensation believed to be caused by an overstimulation of the balance organs. It usually only lasts for an hour or so and doesn’t require treatment.³

What about seasickness medicines?

If you’re concerned about seasickness ahead of your first cruise, speak to your pharmacist about an over-the-counter travel sickness remedy such as hyoscine hydrobromide. Hyoscine hydrobromide – an effective medicine for motion sickness³– is the active ingredient in Kwells for adults and children over 10 and Kwells travel sickness tablets for kids aged 4+.⁴

Kwells travel sickness tablets

Hyoscine hydrobromide (the active ingredient in Kwells travel sickness tablets) temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea. Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.⁴Find out more about how Kwells help to prevent or relieve travel sickness or view all our travel sickness products.

References:

1. https://www.marineinsight.com/life-at-sea/what-is-seasickness-how-to-tackle-it/

2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

3. https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness#:~:text=It%20is%20probably%20caused%20by,not%20usually%20require%20any%20treatment.

4. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/11746/pil#gref

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

Where can you buy Kwells?

Travel sickness may be common, particularly in children, but while it’s comforting to know you’re not alone as a sufferer, there’s no denying it can leave a cloud over your travel plans.

Knowing help is out there if you need it and where to go for advice and over-the-counter treatments can help to reduce any anxiety around it.

We’re here to provide as much advice and support as possible because we truly believe travel sickness shouldn’t put a dampener on your journeys.

Travel sickness, also known as motion sickness, is caused by a sensory mismatch between the eyes, inner ear and the brain.

The confusing messages the brain receives – the eyes are signalling ‘we’re sat down and still’, the inner ear is sensing movement – can cause those familiar travel sickness symptoms such as nausea, sickness, headaches and generally feeling unwell.¹

How to prevent travel sickness

There are some things you can try to prevent it from happening or relieve it once it starts.

These include¹:

Opting for a light carb-based meal like cereal a couple of hours before you travel – steer clear of anything too heavy, fatty or spicy.
Where you sit, such as in the front of a car, in the middle of a boat or over the wing of a plane, can make a difference. It helps to reduce the motion.
Get fresh air if you can, plan in stops for exercise and take refreshments such as cold water.
Avoid strong smells such as petrol or diesel fumes where possible.
Try not to read or look down at phones or tablets. Listen to music, an audiobook or a podcast instead.
Closing your eyes is a good way to reduce those confusing sensory signals – sleeping is even better as it helps the brain to ignore them.
Focus on the road ahead or the horizon – this can help the brain to understand you are actually moving!

Pharmacy advice – what to expect

If self-help tips aren’t working and you feel you’ve tried all you can, you can speak to your local pharmacist.²

Pharmacists are the high street’s healthcare experts and are often approached for advice on treating travel sickness in children – those aged two to 12 are particularly susceptible to travel sickness.³

They’ll want to know³:

How old your child is
Any previous history
How you’re travelling such as car, plane, boat
How long you’ll be travelling for
Any medication history

If it’s you looking for a remedy, they will ask similar questions.

They’ll be able to provide information and advice on suitable over-the-counter remedies which may be able to help.

More about Kwells

Kwells 300 microgram tablets* and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets* contain a substance called hyoscine hydrobromide which is taken to prevent travel sickness.⁴

Hyoscine hydrobromide temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.⁵It’s understood to help block the confusing inner ear messages to the part of the brain that controls vomiting.⁴It also reduces the wave-like muscle contractions in the walls of the stomach.⁴

Since Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, they work fast on preventing and controlling travel sickness and can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.⁵That means you can be prepared ahead of your journey whether you’re travelling by road, air or sea. If you’re planning a longer journey, one tablet – or half to one tablet for children aged four to 10 years – can be taken every six hours as required, but no more than three times in 24 hours.⁵

Where to buy Kwells

Kwells are available to buy over-the-counter – you don’t need a prescription – from pharmacies, both in the high street or from online retailers such as Boots, Superdrug, LloydsPharmacy and ChemistDirect.

If you decide to buy Kwells online rather than in a pharmacy store, you’ll be asked to complete a questionnaire which will be checked by a pharmacist first to make sure they’re suitable for you.

That’s because Kwells is known as a Pharmacy Medicine item which can only be bought under the supervision of a pharmacist and by someone aged 18 or over.

If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

References:

1. https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness#nav-3

2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

3. Symptoms in the Pharmacy: A Guide to the Management of Common Illness – Alison Blenkinsopp, Paul Paxton & John Blenkinsopp

4. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hyoscine-hydrobromide/

5. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.11746.pdf

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

10 tips to help car sickness

Car sickness is one of the most common forms of motion sickness, second only to seasickness.¹

From days out to staycations, there’s usually plenty of car journeys to contend with. We believe they should be part of the excitement of a trip rather than spoiled by any dread or anxiety of car sickness.

As we’re much more likely to be travelling by car – or bus – on a regular basis it’s the motion sickness we tend to experience the most.

That’s why we offer as much support and advice as possible to help you fully understand the condition so you can take steps to prevent it and be prepared if it does happen.

What is car sickness?

As with other types of motion sickness, car sickness is caused by the brain receiving conflicting messages around motion. The eyes signal we’re stationary while the inner ear senses we’re moving and this mismatch of information causes confusion in the brain which can then trigger the symptoms of car sickness including nausea, headaches, sweating, feeling cold and going pale.²

While it’s a common condition affecting up to one in three of us³, it can make journeys unpleasant for sufferers and fellow travellers, particularly for parents with children who suffer from it. It can come on quickly too which is why it’s always good to be prepared.⁴

Children aged two to 12 tend to be more susceptible, as well as women⁵ and those who suffer from migraines⁶, but we still don’t really know why it affects some people while others don’t suffer from it all. The good news is most people tend to grow out of it in their teens.⁵

Why does car sickness happen?

That sensory mismatch we were talking about occurs because our eyes aren’t focused on the things that would send the right signals to the brain about movement.

This could be for several reasons, for instance a young child sitting low down in the back seat of the car probably can’t see out of the window very well.⁶

It can also happen when we’re looking down and reading a book or looking at our phones.

10 Tips to prevent car sickness

There are things you can do to lower the risk of getting car sickness, help to relieve the symptoms if they start and give you peace of mind to make you more relaxed about travelling.

And they start before your journey begins, so here goes!²

Pre-plan some breaks in your journey so you can stop off for fresh air or a short walk.
Have a light, carb-based meal an hour or two before travelling – avoid anything too heavy, spicy or fatty.
Take some bottles of cold water – this can be refreshing to sip if you’re feeling unwell.
Be prepared just in case with wipes, sick bags, a bag to discard rubbish and maybe a cleaning aid.
If car sick-prone children are old enough, sit them in the front of the car so they have a clear view out of the window.
If children are sat in the back try to encourage them to look out of the window or at the horizon. Sing songs, chat or play games like eye spy to try and distract them from motion signals.
Closing your eyes can help to reduce the sensory signals to the brain.
Sleep if you can as this may help the brain to ignore some of the motion signals.
Avoid reading or looking at phones and devices, tune in an audiobook, podcast or listen to music instead.
Try to make sure there’s plenty of fresh air, open a window when you can and avoid strong smells such as petrol or diesel.

Further help

If you feel like you’ve exhausted the self-help route and need further advice, speak to a pharmacist about a travel sickness remedy.⁷

Kwells 300 microgram tablets* and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets* can be used on short or longer journeys and taken every six hours – no more than three times in 24 hours.

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

Browse our products here

You can find insights into other types of motion sickness and ways to prevent or relieve with our blog on ‘what is motion sickness‘.

If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7048153/

2. https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness#nav-3

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1471970/#:~:text=The%20word%20nausea%20comes%20from,or%20feeling%20sick%20(adjective)

4. https://familydoctor.org/condition/motion-sickness/

5. Fasttrack: Managing Symptoms in the Pharmacy – Alan Nathan

6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/expert-answers/car-sickness-in-children/faq-20057876#:~:text=Car%20sickness%20is%20a%20type,in%20the%20joints%20and%20muscles

7 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

Travel Happy Tips

Motion Sickness and Rollercoasters

Ever wondered how you found amusement parks such a carefree thrill when you were younger – but now just the very thought leaves you feeling a little queasy?

How do travel sickness tablets work?

Ever wondered how travel sickness tablets work to prevent or relieve motion sickness? Find out here.

How to cope with motion sickness while skiing

Learn the best ways to cope with motion sickness when skiing.

Autism and Travel Sickness: Tips for Managing Motion Sickness on the Go

Find out the link between autism and travel sickness.

Top tips to avoid travel sickness on your Christmas holidays

You’ve taken the plunge and booked a holiday on the high seas! Anticipating your first cruise is incredibly exciting…

Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

Explore

Helping Children with Travel Sickness

Travel sickness is miserable for youngsters and it’s not much fun for you either – but rest assured, there are lots of things you can try to prevent it from happening.

Read on for our insights, tips and advice because we’re on a mission to put the fun and enjoyment back into your journeys and help you to ‘travel happy’ once again!

The five words every parent or carer dreads mid road trip, flight or boat journey?

It has to be that little distress call: “I’m going to be sick!”.

You may have enough warning to be able to alleviate child travel sickness by pulling over for some fresh air and refreshment if you’re in the car.

If you’re mid air or sea, you’ve got a slight problem.

When it occurs without much warning the best you can do is to be prepared.

Bags, wipes, hand sanitiser and lots of sympathy for a distressed child – and much Kwells sympathy to whoever has to clean up the consequences and tolerate the aftermath for some time to come!

three children in the back of a car

If you have youngsters prone travel sickness you don’t need us to tell you it’s most common in children – those aged two to 12 in fact.¹

That’s the bad news. The good news is babies and little ones up to the age of two rarely seem to suffer from it and travel sickness for kids can significantly reduce with age – although, unfortunately for some of us, it can continue into adulthood.¹

It’s also more common in women – particularly during pregnancy – than men.¹

Travel sickness – also known as motion sickness – can happen on any form of travel but children most commonly experience it as car sickness².

It’s thought to be caused by a conflict of messages received by the brain from the eyes and ears³ but it’s still only partly understood and we don’t know why some children get it and others don’t².

The big travel sickness conversation!

What we do know is when we’re sat in a car, generally our body is telling our brain we’re moving forward.²

But for children that’s not always the case.

If your child is sitting too low down to see out through a window to the horizon or if they’re looking down and reading, messages to the brain can get confused.²

Think of it as conversation between the ear, eyes and brain and it goes something like this…

The part that controls balance and motion in the ear is saying, ‘we’re moving’.²The eyes are saying, ‘we’re reading a book and sitting still!’.²

This sensory mismatch is a bit too much for the brain to deal with and can lead to nervous system responses which can cause nausea and other symptoms.¹

At this point the brain is probably saying, ‘too much misinformation, here’s what happens!’.

Other symptoms can include⁴:

Going sweaty
Feeling cold
Headaches
Feeling weak
An increase in saliva

Once nausea kicks in there’s very little that can be done, so early prevention is definitely better than cure with travel sickness.³

There are things you can try ahead of the journey to help children with travel sickness

Give your youngster a light, carb-based snack before travelling such as cereal or crackers. Avoid anything ‘too heavy’.²
Plan several stops into your journey time for fresh air, a little walk and refreshment such as water.
Being elevated so your child can see through the window to the horizon may help so safety seats and booster seats can come in handy.²

family outside car

mother daughter

Once you’re travelling on your way…

Don’t take any strong-smelling food in the car and avoiding smoking, petrol or diesel fumes if possible.²
Where you sit can make a difference, if your child is old enough, they may feel better sat in the front of the car. For planes over the wing can help as can being on deck in the middle of a boat.⁴
Keep youngsters distracted and entertained with music, singing, I Spy and podcasts to stop them from looking down. Books, phones, tablets and gaming consoles are not recommended for those prone to travel sickness.²
If nausea starts to creep in, ginger in the form of a biscuit or tea is a good tip to try.⁵

If self-help tips aren’t working, don’t worry, you can speak to your local pharmacist for advice.⁵

They’ll want to know³:

How old your child is
Any previous history
How you’re travelling such as car, plane, boat
How long you’ll be travelling for
Any medication history

They can provide information and advice on suitable over-the-counter remedies which may be able to help⁵ such as Kwells Kids Travel Sickness 150 microgram tablets*.

Because Kwells tablets melt in the mouth, absorption into the bloodstream is very rapid and they can be taken up to 20–30 minutes before travelling or at the onset of sickness.

The active substance in Kwells tablets is hyoscine hydrobromide which temporarily reduces the effect of movement on the balance organs of the inner ear and the nerves responsible for nausea.

If you have any doubts about using Kwells tablets correctly, seek the advice of your pharmacist or doctor.

References:

1 Fasttrack: Managing Symptoms in the Pharmacy – Alan Nathan

2 https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=973

3 Symptoms in the Pharmacy: A Guide to the Management of Common Illness – Alison Blenkinsopp, Paul Paxton & John Blenkinsopp

4 https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness

5 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/

Travel Happy Tips

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Our Products

Short trips or big adventures, you can help end the misery and unhappiness of travel sickness.

Kwells 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids 150 microgram tablets are used for the fast and effective prevention and control of travel sickness.

Contains Hyoscine Hydrobromide
Helps prevent travel sickness
12 tablets

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