Though some people just seem to be born with their sea legs already intact, the majority of us will have the unpleasant fortune of dealing with seasickness at least once while trekking out on a water craft. Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to totally avoid seasickness, but there are some precautions and actions that you can take to minimize your chances of letting queasiness, dizziness, and general discomfort get in the way of your sailing adventure.
Seasickness is a type of motion sickness, similar to carsickness and even the feeling that you get after getting jostled on a rollercoaster. It comes about when your brain gets conflicting signals about what exactly is happening with the motion you are experiencing. Given the general land dwelling preference of mankind throughout history, it is not surprising that your brain may become bombarded with mixed signals once you venture offshore. While your body tells your brain that you are obviously in motion due to the feelings of the moving sea, your eyes tell your brain that you are not because of the fact that your feet are planted firmly on the “ground.” This all adds up to the disorientation that leads to seasickness.
One of the easiest things to do to try to get your bearings is to not look at the waves or anything close to you that may be jostling around, but to steady your gaze on the horizon. Looking far into the distance will help to minimize dizziness, which in turn will lessen any nausea or headaches you may feel. This works because while your stomach may still drop every time the boat rolls, your eyes will stop feeding conflicting visual information to your brain if you ignore the boat and only stare at the unmoving horizon, thereby tricking it into thinking that everything is still and steady and not rolling, pitching, or yawing every which way.
Another thing to remember is that if the vessel you are in has an indoor space, avoid going inside it. The last thing you need when you feel the onset of seasickness is to be in a stuffy space, especially one that tends to amplify the sounds and vibrations of the ship chugging along. Stay outside where you can feel the wind on your face; not only will you see more, but you will also minimize your chances of getting even sicker. Also, keep yourself busy. Help out on deck if you can, anything to distract yourself from your discomfort, or you could simply sit and stare at the horizon. Whatever you do, be sure to remain upright either by sitting or standing. Though you may be tempted to lie down in an effort to calm your nerves and stomach, this could actually worsen your symptoms.
If you know that you tend to get seasick, prevention is essential. Stay hydrated well before you step onto the boat, and stay hydrated throughout the trip as well. Eat a healthy heal free of fried and spicy foods, or anything else that could cause a stomach upset, and give yourself at least an hour to begin digesting it before sailing. This way, your stomach will be preoccupied with digesting your food rather than making you sick. Be sure to get plenty of rest as well, and avoid partying too hard the night before. Sailing while weary and hungover is not only extremely unpleasant, it also can be dangerous. Medication and other over-the-counter remedies may be beneficial to those with chronic seasickness as well. It is best to take motion sickness medication before you leave land because only then will it have enough time to take effect.
Sailing should be a pleasant experience, so if you know that you’re prone to falling into the clutches of seasickness, follow these tips to minimize the symptoms. For those of you who have fought your fair share of battles with seasickness before, please share what remedies worked for you in the comments!
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This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online college courses. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 @gmail.com.
I find that I only get seasick on big boats with “indoor spaces” as Angelita puts it. And I only get seasick if I go into that “indoor space.”
It’s a new technical term also known as downstairs.
My Laser has an “indoor space” too but I can’t squeeze through the 5-inch entrance door.
We had quite a time dealing with sea sickness this year and our one year old. You can read about it here.
http://chaser29.blogspot.com/2010/08/sea-sickness-and-one-year-old.html
Myth Busters did a test of motion-sickness remedies some time back. Most of the remedies they tested didn’t work at all. The two remedies that did work were over-the-counter pills and ginger. They were equally effective; the pills had the disadvantage of causing drowsiness. I now keep ginger cookies on hand — they may not be as effective as straight ginger, but they’re more convenient.
Keeping busy is the key. If there’s crew looking a bit green, get them to do a sail change, reef, gybe or something physical. I think it has a psychological effect that convinces their bodies that the job’s too important, and there’s no time to be sick.
I’ve got a friend who swears by the little patches you put behind your ear. Have to say I did use one once and I wasn’t ill, but then I don’t always get seasick. I tend to find the best precaution for me is ensuring I’ve had a damn good night’s sleep beforehand. Tiredness is an absolute killer for me – Going racing early in the morning after being up all night rewiring the boat was a surefire way to spend several hours lying on the cabin floor, clutching a bucket and wishing I was anywhere else.
Agree with your point of view