Natural Remedies for Motion Sickness

Written by Institute for Natural Medicine Staff

Medically Reviewed by Signe Poquette, ND

Published September 23, 2024
Last Updated September 25, 2024

Hippocrates may have been the first to describe the symptoms of motion sickness, noting that “sailing on the sea proves that motion disorders the body.” In fact, the word nausea comes from the Greek word naus, meaning “ship.”¹

But seasickness is just one form of motion sickness. Other modes of travel, including planes, cars, and trains, can leave passengers feeling queasy. Even some modern technologies, like the headsets used in virtual reality for physical therapy and training, may trigger nausea.²

What causes motion sickness?

The line between perception and reality isn’t always entirely clear. Although the exact cause of motion sickness is unknown, the conflict between what is actually happening and what your body perceives is happening leads the eyes and inner ear to send mixed messages to the brain. This “sensory disconnect” results in symptoms like nausea, vomiting, cold sweats, headache, dizziness, and loss of appetite.¹

Whether you’re walking or running, perception and reality are more or less in tune when you’re on foot. Your body is moving, and that’s what matters. People are naturally built for self-movement, not for being passively transported. It’s why vehicles tend to confuse our innate sense of motion.³

Travel sickness is common in young children (six to nine) and usually declines in adolescence. Women are more prone than men, especially during menstrual cycles and pregnancy, when hormone levels fluctuate. People who have migraines, vertigo, or Ménière’s disease are also more likely to experience motion sickness.¹

Natural ways to relieve motion sickness

Motion sickness medications (such as antihistamines) are only partially effective and may have unwanted effects, like drowsiness and blurred vision.¹ However, there are many medicine-free strategies for preventing nausea in transit and stopping symptoms in their tracks.

Ginger, peppermint, and mangoes

Whole ginger root and crushed ginger in bowl atop leaf on table

Ginger has more than 3,000 years of documented use in traditional medicine for easing motion sickness. It can also reduce nausea in pregnancy and during chemotherapy.

Combination therapy, with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid, calcium, thiamine (vitamin B1), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and cyanocobalamin (synthetic vitamin B12), also shows promise for managing motion sickness—perhaps even more so than ginger.⁴

Chinese herbal formulations of gingerol, hesperidin (found in citrus fruit), and menthol (from the mint family) exhibit antihistamine properties that may improve motion sickness symptoms.⁵

Although significant studies on essential oils for travel sickness are lacking, some research hints that peppermint oil aromatherapy could relieve nausea.⁶

For seasickness, mangoes can help. The fruit contains high amounts of polyphenols and vitamin C—both shown to alleviate nausea and vomiting.⁵

Put the book down (but turn up the music)

Girl reads dictionary while lying down in car

While traveling, there are several ways to prevent or mitigate motion sickness.

Where you sit matters. Always choose a forward-facing seat to avoid forcing your body to constantly adjust to the direction you’re traveling. The front seat is best to prevent motion sickness; however, children are safest in the back. Sit as still as possible, and although it may be difficult, try keeping your head, shoulders, hips, and knees in one position.¹

Avoid traveling in turbulent conditions and when visibility is poor whenever you can.

When flying, the wings are the magic zone. Book or find a seat in this section for a smoother ride.

Mid-ship cabins are best to avoid rocking while at sea.

On a train, bus, or trolley: Face forward and sit or stand up front.

Close the book. Reading in a moving vehicle is a common motion sickness trigger, as it adds another layer of “movement” for your eyes. Focus your vision on a fixed point or close your eyes.

Tuning in to your favorite music can significantly reduce motion sickness. Whether it’s a soothing melody or upbeat rhythm, calming sounds are all about what works for you—so play songs that help you relax.⁷

Breathe slowly and deeply. Riding in the backseat of a car or on a train or bus is a great opportunity to meditate. Open the window when you can, and practice deep, mindful breathing.¹^,⁷

A little pressure is a good thing

One of the most well-known pressure points for nausea relief is the pericardium 6 (P6), or “Neiguan” point, located just a few finger widths below your wrist. Light pressure here can work wonders, reducing nausea, dizziness, and even vomiting.⁸ That’s why acupressure wristbands zero in on this spot. Other pressure points, like those behind the ears or on the legs, may also respond to acupressure.

What to eat before you go

Before traveling, eat lightly and opt for a high-protein, low-carb, and low-fat meal.⁵ Be sure to hydrate with plenty of water en route.

In the long run, the most effective way to overcome motion sickness is habituation—training your body to get used to traveling. While it takes time and patience, this gradual approach offers lasting relief and is well worth the commitment.⁴

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Footnotes

1
Takov V, Tadi P. Motion Sickness. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Accessed July 23, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539706
2
Ramazan K, Devran AY, Muhammed ON. An old approach to a novel problem: effect of combined balance therapy on virtual reality induced motion sickness: a randomized, placebo controlled, double-blinded study. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24(1):156. doi:10.1186/s12909-024-05152-4
3
Lackner JR. Motion sickness: more than nausea and vomiting. Exp Brain Res. 2014;232(8):2493-2510. doi:10.1007/s00221-014-4008-8
4
Nunes CP, Rodrigues C, Suchmacher M, et al. A combination of gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamic acid, calcium, thiamine, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin vs ginger extract in the management of chronic motion sickness: a clinical evaluation. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2023;99:100719. doi:10.1016/j.curtheres.2023.100719
5
Rahimzadeh G, Tay A, Travica N, et al. Nutritional and behavioral countermeasures as medication approaches to relieve motion sickness: a comprehensive review. Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1320. doi:10.3390/nu15061320
6
Amzajerdi A, Keshavarz M, Montazeri A, Bekhradi R. Effect of mint aroma on nausea, vomiting and anxiety in pregnant women. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019;8(8):2597-2601. d oi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_480_19
7
Keshavarz B, Hecht H. Pleasant music as a countermeasure against visually induced motion sickness. Appl Ergon. 2014;45(3):521-527. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2013.07.009
8
Lee A, Fan LT. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(2):CD003281. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003281.pub3

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What causes motion sickness?