Vomiting while traveling is not a disease but an illusion of the mind! Know from experts the real cause of motion sickness and 9 easy ways to prevent it.

Motion Sickness Causes and Prevention: Often people think that vomiting, nausea or dizziness during travel is a sign of some serious illness. But according to medical science and neurology experts, this is not a disease but the result of lack of coordination between our body parts, which is called motion sickness in medical language. According to statistics, every third person in the world is affected by this uncomfortable condition at one time or the other. Whether you are in a car, bus, train or on air or sea travel – this problem can happen to anyone. Why do I feel dizzy? Understand the scientific reason behind this. When we are in a moving vehicle, different parts of our body start sending conflicting signals to the brain: Balance system of the ear: The vestibular system (balance system) present inside our ear tells the brain that the body is in motion. Message from the eyes: On the other hand, our eyes (which often look at stationary objects inside the car or at a mobile phone) tell the brain that we are sitting still. Due to these different and confusing signals, our mind gets completely confused and the body’s balance system gets disturbed, which leads to sudden headache, nervousness and vomiting. Experts’ Opinion: Why does the brain feel that ‘poison’ has spread in the body? Dr. Mohsin Wali (Senior Consultant, Sir Gangaram Hospital):

"When you look down in a moving vehicle or read a book, the eyes and ears send different messages to the brain. Due to this confusion, the brain thinks that you have accidentally consumed something poisonous. To eliminate the effect of this imaginary poison and keep the body safe, the brain immediately instructs it to vomit, so that the substance can come out."

Dr. Manjari Tripathi (Neurology Specialist, AIIMS):

"Motion sickness is directly related to the vestibular system present inside our ears. When the ears, eyes and body’s sensors (receptors) send different information to the brain during travel, this lack of coordination causes stimulation of certain parts of the brain (brain stem and hypothalamus). Due to this reason one feels dizzy and nauseated."

What to do and what not to do to prevent vomiting and dizziness while traveling? If you are also troubled by this problem during the journey, then you can make your journey pleasant by taking care of these 9 important things and precautions: Look towards the horizon: Instead of looking down in the car, look out the window far ahead. By doing this, eyes and ears receive similar signals, which removes confusion from the brain. Correct seat selection: Always sit facing the front in the vehicle. It is best to choose the front seat in a car or bus because the outside view is clearly visible from there. Distance from mobile and book: Completely avoid using phone, working on laptop or reading book in moving vehicle. It disturbs the coordination of eyes and brain. Food balance: Do not eat very heavy, spicy or oily food just before leaving for the journey. However, don’t go on a completely empty stomach either; It is beneficial to have light breakfast or snacks. Keep the body stable: Try to minimize the movement of your head, shoulders and waist during the journey. Keep your position stable. Support of pleasant music: Listen to your favorite and light music during the journey. According to research, good music helps in distraction and reduces the feeling of nausea. Do not try to sleep: Avoid trying to sleep forcefully in a moving vehicle, because the possibility of sudden vomiting may increase if the body balance gets disturbed while sleeping. Avoiding smoking: Do not smoke cigarettes or any kind of smoke (nicotine) during or just before the journey, this can worsen your health further. Doctor’s advice and medicine: If you have a very serious problem of motion sickness, then take a safe medicine to prevent vomiting (anti-emetic) recommended by the doctor half an hour before starting the journey.