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How to Prevent and Control Seasickness

About three quarters of people who sail regularly get used to the motion of the ship, and are thus naturally resistant to seasickness. But still, seasickness is pretty common among new sailors, so we’ve summarized a few most useful techniques to help you cope and prevent this unpleasant condition.

Seasickness while sailing - Orvas Yachting Croatia

1. Take the medication

There are many seasickness medications which are fairly effective (Dramamine and Bonine being the most well-known). But bear in mind that they can sometimes cause drowsiness, and it’s certainly not great to feel drowsy while on a boat. Be sure to take them at least two hours before getting onboard.

2. Put the binoculars down!

Any work which requires close focus or looking through the binoculars will confuse your brain and worsen the motion sickness, a research found. So, don’t increase your chances of getting seasick – keep yourself busy doing physical tasks, keeping your head up, and use the binoculars only when you must.

3. Get stuck in the middle

The motion of the ship is less felt if you stand in its middle; both the ship’s pitch and roll will be significantly smaller in the middle than at the stern, bow or the rails.

4. Use the horizon

Although it may sound unlikely, staring at the horizon is the best and simplest way of fighting seasickness; looking at the far away, motionless horizon will help your brain calm and achieve internal equilibrium.5. Be on deck whenever possibleAlthough you may be tempted to go below, it’s actually better to stay on the deck in fresh air. If you go belowships, your brain won’t be able to reconcile the confusion of the inner ear; the confusion which comes because of the ship’s motion.

Wrist band against seasickness - Orvas Yachting Croatia

6. Buy a wrist band

There are specialized seasickness prevention wrist bands which will solve your problems; you can either buy a magnetic band or an acupressure one. Both of them will put a light pressure on the underside of your arm and hopefully prevent seasickness.

7. Put on a patch

A popular prescription drug for seasickness is the scopolamine patch. It looks like a band aid and it contains small amounts of medicine which are released into the skin. Usually worn behind the ear, these patches are very popular among professional sailors as it enables them to work for a long time without being affected by seasickness. You can also buy them in pill form.

8. Chewing gum and sweets

Both the sugar and the chewing (which helps distract the brain) will be your allies in the fight against seasickness, so make sure you bring some sweets and chewing gum on board.

9. Fizzy drinks

Speaking of sugar, fizzy drinks like cola will also help you prevent mild cases of seasickness. Sure, they’re not healthy, but the sugar consumption will give you energy fast and lift you up. In general, don’t drink any alcohol while on board, and avoid greasy and spicy food.

10. Natural Oils

There are natural oil-based products which can help as well, such as Motioneaze. It’s a blend of various natural oils, applied by dabbing it behind the ear. It usually works within minutes of appliance and can be used even after a person started showing the symptoms of seasickness. It’s safe for children as well.

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