Motion sickness is a common problem many travelers face, especially on long bus rides. The swaying and bumping motions of a moving vehicle can bring on symptoms like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache. A study published in the Journal of Travel Medicine estimates that nearly 33% of people experience some form of motion sickness while riding buses. This can make for an extremely unpleasant journey.
Luckily, there are several practical, science-backed techniques you can use to minimize your chances of getting carsick or airsick on your next bus trip. Preventing motion sickness ensures you feel well enough to relax and enjoy the sights of your travels from the comfort of your coach bus seat.
Choose the Right Seat
Where you sit on the bus matters more than you might think when it comes to avoiding motion sickness. Opt for a seat near the front, in the middle section of the bus. Research shows that passengers experience less motion in these areas compared to the rear seats. Sitting towards the back intensifies all the oscillations and vibrations of the moving vehicle.
The middle seats encounter the smoothest ride. Facing forward also makes a huge difference in susceptibility to motion sickness over sideways seats. Your inner ear contains fluid and motion sensors that detect changes in equilibrium. Facing backwards or sideways confuses these sensors as your body moves in an opposing plane to the direction you’re looking. This mismatch of input arriving from your eyes versus inner ear causes disorientation and triggers nausea.
Focus on a Fixed Point
As mentioned earlier, mixed signals from your senses contributes majorly to motion sickness. You can realign what your eyes see and what your body physically feels through a simple technique called visual fixation. As the bus begins moving, consciously pick a stationary object on the horizon outside your window.
Keep your eyes locked firmly on that point. It can be a cloud, a mountaintop, a building – anything that is fixed in space and isn’t shifting around as the bus moves. Gazing at the unmoving object helps stabilize your sensory perceptions. Now your eyes have a reference point that syncs up with your vestibular system’s detection of motion. Avoid trying to read a book or stare at the passing scenery; it will only perplex your equilibrium further.
Avoid Reading or Screen Time
Speaking of books, it’s best not to attempt reading or use of electronic gadgets while in a moving vehicle prone to jerky movements. The problem is twofold. Firstly, your eyes struggle to track sentences and words on a page as everything bounces up and down. This makes you sick. Secondly, focusing intently on a screen, tablet or mobile game requires heightened visual attention.
Diverting brain resources away from monitoring bodily sensations of inertia makes them more likely to sneak up on you. You’ll only realize you’re motion sick once nausea sets in. Listening to music, a podcast or an audiobook distracts you enough from physical wooziness without overworking your visual cortex. Hearing is not as tied to equilibrium maintenance as vision.
Stay Hydrated and Eat Light
Dehydration exacerbates motion sickness symptoms. In medical terminology the condition is called hypovolemic nausea and vomiting. Some researchers propose that low blood volume and fluid insufficiency within the inner ear may spark a cascade of nausea signals to the brain. Sipping water throughout the duration of your bus journey keeps symptoms of dehydration like headache and lightheadedness at bay.
These can either instigate or worsen nausea. Consuming a small meal before you set off also helps. Eat light, low-fat and high carb foods instead of large, greasy meals. Carbohydrates digest slower and release glucose over longer periods, providing you sustained energy. High fat foods sit heavy on the stomach, leaving you feeling bloated and sluggish. Their digestive difficulty and rich sensory qualities make them more likely to cause nausea when your body’s already coping with motion triggers.
Use Natural Remedies
Consider bringing some peppermint tea bags or ginger candy along for the ride. Traditional medicines like peppermint and ginger have scientifically validated abilities to curb motion sickness ill-effects. The anti-inflammatory phenolic compounds in ginger bring down markers of nausea like serotonin and stomach acid secretions.
Peppermint tea’s anti-spasmodic qualities relax smooth stomach muscles to improve digestion and iron out gastrointestinal distress. Its menthol content also has a soothing effect, spenthenic nerves. Other natural supplements like vitamin B6, melatonin and CBD oil may help too but require further research.
Opt for Over-the-Counter Medications
For preventing motion sickness, over-the-counter medications work very effectively. These are inexpensive, easily accessible options you can pick up at any pharmacy without needing a prescription. Dimenhydrinate containing products such as Dramamine and Bonine strongly subdue symptoms like vomiting and nausea.
Being antihistamines, they have some mild sedative effects too. For short bus journeys under 5-6 hours, taking OTC medication an hour beforehand suffices. Those prone to prolonged bouts of motion sickness can speak to their doctor about prescription patches and longer-acting alternatives containing scopolamine. Use medications cautiously though, abiding by correct doses and heeding usage guidelines.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Stress and anxiety exacerbate motion sickness. Unpleasant symptoms then cause more distress, snowballing quickly. The most universally helpful relaxation strategy is measured breathing. Inhale deeply through the nose, visualizing filling up from the stomach up while counting slowly up to five. Release the breath just as gradually out the mouth. The longer exhales activate your parasympathetic relaxation response.
Listening to calming music or ambient nature sounds also helps lower unease. If you can access audio guides, try following mindful meditation or deep muscle relaxation protocols. They involve systematically tensing and releasing each body region to discharge anxiety-induced tension. Other stress management tips include stretching occasionally in your seat, yawning to equalize inner ear pressure and closing your eyes for brief minutes to unwind senses overwhelmed by travel stimuli.
Conclusion
Enduring motion sickness can turn bus rides from bad to worse. Arm yourself against its queasiness by planning ahead and applying these research-backed avoidance tips. Be strategic in choosing less turbulent seating, stabilizing vision sensory cues, staying nourished, using natural supplements and carrying suitable medications. When looking for a Los Angeles Coach Bus Company, we recommend Hollywood Town Car and Limousine
Exercise stress relief techniques as needed. Advance preparation guarantees you feel well enough to soak in beautiful travel vistas along your coach route and arrived refreshed at chosen destinations. Recruiting a few of these simple motion sickness mitigation strategies promotes comfortable, nausea-free passage aboard your next long-distance bus journey.