10 DIY Home Remedies for Motion Sickness

Last Updated: April 13, 2018

The eyes, inner ears and sensory nerves are responsible for helping the brain recognize movement in our surroundings so that we can properly balance our bodies. Kinetosis, also known as motion sickness, happens when signals from the eyes conflict with signals from the ears or nerves, confusing the brain so it can’t figure out how to balance the body. For example, if you are aboard a boat that’s rocking on waves, and you are down below, where your body can feel the waves but your eyes cannot see them, you’re much more likely to get sick than you would be if you were up on deck, where you could see and feel the waves.

Symptoms of motion sickness include nausea, dizziness, shivering, cold sweats, tiredness, headache, and drowsiness, among others. There are plenty of commercial motion sickness pills available, but they sometimes come with unwanted side effects.

Home Remedies for Motion Sickness

You’re about to find out how to prevent and remedy motion sickness using safe, inexpensive home remedies. Ready to find out what they are? Let’s get started.

1. Crackers

You’re more likely to get sick on an empty stomach. Before and during a trip, eat easily digestible foods like crackers to fill and settle your stomach. We recommend salty or savory rather than sweet. They help to prevent nausea and vomiting.

2. Ginger

Ginger cures nausea and upset stomach, and ensures proper digestion. Eat thin slices of peeled ginger root throughout your trip or drink ginger tea before you leave.

Process:

• Boil 2 cups of water and add 1 teaspoon peeled, chopped ginger root.
• Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
• Add honey or maple syrup for taste.
• Strain and drink.

3. Peppermint

Peppermint freshens the breath and calms the stomach to reduce nausea. Before and while traveling, suck on peppermint lozenges, chew peppermint leaves, or put a drop of peppermint oil on the tongue. Before you leave, drink peppermint tea.

Process:

• Boil water and stir in a handful of fresh peppermint leaves.
• Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
• Strain, add sweetener of choice, and drink.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar balances the pH and the acid/alkaline ratios in the stomach to prevent nausea.

Process:

• Stir 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey in a cup of warm water.
• Drink it 30 minutes before traveling.
• You can also use this to rinse your mouth to get relief from motion sickness and also to freshen your breath.

5. Lemons

Lemons contain citric acid, which calms the stomach and prevents vomiting. During travelling suck lemon wedges or smell the lemon to get relief from the sickness.

Process:

• Stir the juice of half a fresh lemon and 1 teaspoon of honey into a glass of lukewarm water.
• Drink this before and during journey to avoid sickness.
• Or Add lemon juice and a pinch of salt to a cup of warm rice water.
• Drink this before journey.

6. Mugwort

Mugwort treats indigestion, stomach pain, and motion sickness. Put a drop of mugwort oil on your tongue just before departure, or drink mugwort tea twice a day for a day or two prior to journey.

Process:

• Boil 2 cups of water and stir in 1 ounce of fresh mugwort leaves.
• Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and steep 10 minutes.
• Strain and drink.

7. Green Apples

The pectin in green apples neutralizes stomach acids to prevent nausea. Eat green apples during your trip or drink apple juice before you leave.

Process:

• Use a juicer or blender to extract the juice from 2 green apples.
• Mix in the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of black salt.
• Drink before departure.

8. Black Horehound

Black horehound settles the nerves to prevent nausea and dizziness. Drink black horehound tea 30 minutes before departure.

Process:

• Boil 2 cups of water and stir in 1 tablespoon each of black horehound and chamomile, and 2 tablespoons of grated ginger.
• Reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
• Strain and drink.

9. Acupressure

Acupressure balances the flow of energy through the body to prevent motion sickness.

Process:

• If you feel sick while traveling, use your thumb to press your inner arm three finger-widths up from the crease of your wrist.
• Hold it there until symptoms subside.
• You can also use an acupressure band to maintain the pressure throughout your trip.
  

10. Olives

The tannin in olives helps reduce saliva, which triggers nausea and vomiting. Eat them before departure and during your trip.

Other Tips To Prevent Motion Sickness:

Follow these simple tips to make journey happy and pleasant without motion sickness.

• If possible, choose a seat where you have a good view of your surroundings and where the ride will be relatively smooth.
• Avoid standing, and make sure to sit facing in the direction of travel.
• For some, spending a long time in or on the vehicle that’s causing the motion sickness eventually leads to acclamation.
• Whenever possible, be the driver rather than the passenger. Focusing on the road and surrounding traffic sometimes distracts from motion sickness.
• Avoid alcohol, smoking, and over-eating prior to travel.
• Stay relaxed and focus on your breath. Getting nervous will only make you feel sicker.
• For some, closing the eyes reduces the sensory conflicts that cause motion sickness.
• When looking out the window, focus on distant points that appear to be moving more slowly or not at all. Watching close-by scenery whiz past you will only make you feel more nauseous.
• Stay away from others who are sick.
• Travel at night, when moving scenery is less visible.
• Don’t read while traveling as it makes eyes to concentrate on book but not on the route. So eyes send a confusing message to brain which leads to nausea..
• If none of these methods help, take over-the-counter medicines or see a doctor for other options.
  

The methods mentioned above are safe to take along with OTC medicines. Have you tried any of them? Tell us which ones worked best for you.

Rajee Datti

Hi everyone, this is Rajee!

I live the beautiful city of Baltimore, where my husband works.

I’m from India. I have been visiting India on and off for past few years and my mom was an inspiration for me to start this site. She has a wealth of knowledge on home remedies for a large number of health problems, and we grew up in an environment where frequent visits to the doctor just wasn’t logistically or financially feasible.

Despite this, she managed to raise a family of healthy kids, and my goal here at Home Remedies for Life is to pass on some of her knowledge of natural remedies.