A guide to preventing and relieving air sickness
The excitement of flying to an overseas destination, the anticipation of exploring a foreign land, meeting new people, and creating unforgettable memories with family or friends…
The thrill of a holiday begins way before you’ve packed your suitcase but for anyone prone to travel sickness the journey can be a hurdle to overcome before the excitement kicks in.
That’s particularly the case for those who suffer from air sickness.
A plane environment offers little in the way of sanctuary or respite if you’re suffering from this unpleasant condition and the last place you want to be is in a cramped aeroplane toilet.
Thankfully we have some tips on hand to help prevent it from happening or at least manage it if it does.
And the strategy starts as soon as you book your flight!
What is air sickness?
Air sickness, also known as motion sickness or travel sickness, begins with the same sensory mismatch between your eyes, inner ear and brain.
Mixed signals from the eyes and ears involving real and perceived motion2 – in other words, being stationary and sensing movement – confuse the brain and this can make you feel unwell.1
Air sickness symptoms, like car sickness or seasickness, include nausea, being sick, dizziness, a headache, feeling cold and going pale and sweating1 – all unpleasant side effects which can be tricky to cope with a on a flight.
It may be common but it’s a complex condition involving several parts of the body including the nervous system and it not fully understood why some people suffer and others don’t.2
How can you prevent air sickness?
Air sickness in particular can make journeys daunting for sufferers and those travelling with children prone to the condition which is why prevention is so much better than cure.
Being prepared from the word go can help to reduce the risk of anxiety and unpleasantness of air sickness – and you can actually start to look forward to your trip!
Why does the preparation start with booking your holiday?
Well, the first tip in our air sickness prevention guide involves where you sit on the plane
Seating in the middle of a plane will reduce the motion felt during any turbulence4 and sitting near the window so you look out at the horizon can help too so choose a seat in those locations if possible.3
There are also a few things you can do – and avoid – ahead of your flight.
Always take precautionary items such as wipes, sick bags and a change of clothes, especially if you’re travelling with children, just in case. This will give you peace of mind should the worse happen.
You can also pack a travel pillow to help you nod off during the flight.
Be gentle on your stomach. Don’t eat a large meal or anything spicy in the hours before you board1, choose a lighter bite instead and try to stick to carb-based food such as bread, cereal or crackers.5
For adults prone to air sickness it’s recommended you avoid alcohol for 24 hours before a flight and during4 and avoid smoking prior to travelling.3
With pre-boarding prep covered it’s time to check-in for the onboarding part of the strategy.
Once you’re settled in your seat – in the middle of the plane and possibly next to the window! – ensure your precautional measures such as wipes are close to hand should you need them.
Make yourself comfortable – a travel pillow will come in handy here – and use the air vent above your seat to provide a refreshing air flow.
When the refreshment cart rolls by opt for a bottle of water so you can take sips of it if you start to feel unwell. Some people find ginger can be good for nausea so maybe opt for ginger ale.6
Sleep can be a great way to distract the brain from any motion signals or you could listen to music or a pre-downloaded podcast.5
Try not to read as looking down at something stationary can cause those confusing motion signals.5
Air sickness medicines
There is plenty you can do to minimise the chances of getting air sickness naturally.
But as always, these self-help methods don’t work for everyone and it may be trial and error before you find out what works best for you.
If you need further help and advice you can speak to your local pharmacist who will be able to recommend a travel sickness treatment whether it’s for you or your child.
Kwells Travel Sickness 300 microgram tablets and Kwells Kids Travel Sickness 150 microgram tablets contain the active ingredient hyoscine hydrobromide which is understood to temporarily block message from the inner ear to the part of the brain that controls vomiting.7
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.7
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%20caused%20by,cause%20you%20to%20feel%20unwell.
2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539706/#:~:text=Motion%20sickness%20is%20a%20common,motion%20sickness%20is%20typically%20nausea.
3 https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/motion-sickness
4 https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/general-travel-health-advice/air-travel#:~:text=Motion%20sickness&text=choose%20a%20seat%20in%20the,if%20they%20can%20be%20severe
5 https://patient.info/travel-and-vaccinations/health-advice-for-travel-abroad/motion-travel-sickness
6 https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/sickness/other-ways-of-controlling-sickness
7 https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hyoscine-hydrobromide/
Travel Happy Tips
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