What to do if you are seasick?

The most important points in brief:

• Seasickness can occur suddenly
• Those affected often suffer from dizziness and vomiting
• Looking towards the horizon, but also tablets can be helpful in combating seasickness.

A trip on the boat or even a multi-day boat or sailing trip; what is the ultimate dream for many is a real nightmare for as many. Those who suffer from what is known as "seasickness", which can cause nausea and vomiting, do not voluntarily board a boat or ship. When seasick, many have the image of the torso hanging over the railing in front of their eyes.

Contradictory information in the brain

With seasickness, the different sensory impressions are in a processing conflict. Because the brain perceives a movement (e.g. rocking back and forth), the vomiting center in the brain is stimulated accordingly. The whole thing is reinforced when you sit below deck in an enclosed space. You sit stable and the walls of the closed room appear straight, but there are constant rocking movements. And that is exactly what gives the brain contradicting information that it cannot process. Seasickness usually begins with tiredness, headaches and frequent yawns. This is then exacerbated with the classic symptoms such as dizziness and vomiting.

Seasickness can affect everyone

In principle, anyone can get seasick, even if you had no problems on previous excursions on the water. Often the body and the brain get used to this condition after a few hours / days at sea and the discomfort goes away on its own.

But there are also measures that can help alleviate seasickness. We would like to share with you what we believe to be the most important tips:

• Since the brain struggles to process the various sensory impressions, especially in closed rooms, it is recommended that if you feel unwell, you do not stay below - but on the deck. With your eyes directed towards the horizon. Lying flat, closing your eyes or switching off the light can help against seasickness.
• Make sure that you don't have an empty stomach - but also not an overly full stomach. Above all, eat light snacks.
• Tablets that can be bought in pharmacies can help against vomiting.
• The so-called "Sea-Band", an acupressure band that is attached around the wrists, can help against dizziness and vomiting.

Seasickness is often only triggered by strong waves and rarely occurs when there is little or no waves.

Landing - the other seasickness

When you go ashore after a few hours or days at sea, many suffer from what is known as «shore leave». You are on land, but you have the feeling that it is still rocking. Even if this is more of an unpleasant feeling; this also goes away automatically after a few hours.