Boating can be a blast, but not so much if you’re feeling sick. Seasickness is caused by an inner ear imbalance. Since boats have a tendency to bob up and down and they can move erratically from side to side when things get a little choppy out there, some passengers may suffer from motion sickness potentially resulting in vertigo, nausea and vomiting.
Here are ten tips to help you prevent and treat seasickness…
- Prior to boating, avoid big meals or any foods that may upset your stomach.
- When the boat is in motion, face forward.
- Maintaining focus on the horizon may also help keep you from feeling seasick.
- Stay occupied to keep your mind off of feeling under the weather.
- Try to get as much fresh air as possible and take deep breaths.
- Try to avoid diesel fumes and other strong odors such as the ones that tend to accompany bait and fish.
- Stay hydrated.
- Over-the-counter medications such as Bonine and Dramamine can help prevent seasickness as well as help to alleviate seasickness symptoms, but they need to be taken in advance of setting sail. So, once you start to feel seasick, they aren’t extremely helpful. Seasickness medications can also make you drowsy and who wants to feel like that when you are supposed to be out having fun on a boat? I mean, it’s better than tossing your cookies, but still.
- Another option that doesn’t include the side-effect of feeling sleepy is a sea-band. Sea-bands are easy to wear. They are said to reduce the effects of seasickness by simply stimulating the pressure point on your wrist.
- Ginger has stomach calming properties as well.
