How To Stop Feeling Like You're On A Boat (Motion Sickness)

‍If you get motion sickness when you’re on a boat, you probably want to know how to stop feeling like you’re on a boat.

You can stop feeling like you’re on a boat by taking motion sickness medicine, reducing the amount you eat before boarding, sitting at the back of the boat, maintaining a straight and upright posture, looking far away, and blocking irritating smells.

As much as I like being on a boat, it’s often a major downer when I get motion sickness. Using a few simple solutions at the right time helps to reduce my motion sickness and lets me feel like I’m not on a boat.

‍How Can I Stop Motion Sickness On A Boat?

There are countless things to see and do on a boat, so I try to do whatever I can to prevent my motion sickness from holding me back.

When I travel to a place known for its islands and beautiful surroundings, there is no better way for me to experience it all than on a boat.

As much as I love being on a boat, feeling even a tiny bit of motion sickness can put a damper on my day.

If I don’t get a hold of my motion sickness, it can quickly worsen and completely ruin my trip.

When I get motion sickness, I can get a bad headache, an upset stomach, and very severe nausea that can easily lead to vomiting.

Knowing the types of symptoms you experience when feeling motion sickness can help you take preventative measures.

Take Medication

For instance, if you tend to have stomach problems when feeling motion sickness, you can take stomach medicine before boarding the boat or take the medicine with you to take on the boat.

If you only have a few hours or so of preparation time, your most effective option will probably be to take some type of antiemetic drug to keep you from feeling dizzy or nauseous.

Antiemetic medications are often available in the form of a pill, capsule, or tablet at pharmacies across the country.

Some antiemetic medications are most effective when taken within a certain amount of time before you board a boat, but you should be sure to read and follow the information for your particular medication.

If you need motion sickness medication that is stronger than what is available over the counter, you might want to opt for scopolamine medication.

To keep things simple, I sometimes like to take sleeping medication to deal with motion sickness.

I prefer taking sleeping pills when my main objective is to arrive somewhere rather than enjoy my time on the boat.

Sleeping medication helps me to get through at least a couple hours on a bumpy boat without having to deal with motion sickness.

When I want to enjoy my time on a boat, ship, or floating structure, I’ll take medication that blocks or greatly diminishes my motion sickness without making me tired.

I’m often fascinated at how much different I feel with and without the non-drowsy motion sickness medicine.

Get Enough Sleep

Since I like being on a boat so much, I also use natural non-medication options to battle motion sickness.

Natural solutions to combat motion sickness often require extended preparation time compared to taking medication.

One of the easiest things you can do to stop feeling like you’re on a boat is to get an adequate amount of sleep the day before you go on the boat.

If you can sleep at least 7 hours per night during the days leading up to your boat trip, that might make you even less prone to feeling motion sickness.

Though it might be hard to get sleep when you’re excited about an upcoming trip, lacking sleep can make motion sickness hard to overcome and may even worsen how you feel on a boat.

Since your body's immune system and overall defenses can weaken when you don’t get enough sleep, not sleeping enough might actually increase your chances of getting sick in other ways.

Before you step on a boat or any other moving vehicle that might cause motion sickness, making sure you are well-rested can go a long way to making your trip more pleasant.

Eat Less

Many terrible experiences I have when feeling motion sickness are related to my stomach.

I often feel intense tightness, tightness, and queasiness in my stomach, which sometimes followed by vomiting.

On my worst days dealing with motion sickness, I might even have repeated bouts of vomiting followed by passing out.

A simple solution for dealing with stomach issues when you’re on a boat is to minimize the amount of food you eat before setting sail.

If reducing the amount of food you eat is not an option, you can try changing the types of foods you eat.

Light foods with low acidity, fat, and spiciness should be easier on your stomach during a boat trip.

You should stay far away from fried foods like onion rings, french fries, and fried chicken before getting anywhere near a boat.

I once had a big fish and chips meal before sailing and felt seriously ill shortly after boarding.

When I eat before getting on a boat now, I gravitate towards bland foods like plain boiled rice, toast, and bananas.

Those foods give me solid energy without causing significant problems to my stomach.

I also don’t have to eat much of those foods, which helps my stomach to feel light and settled.

You should try not to eat too much since it could tighten your stomach and cause uneasiness.

In some cases, eating too much can make it more difficult for you to breathe deeply, which can be an important part of fighting motion sickness.

If I need an extra burst of energy, I’ll usually include a cup of tea or coffee with my breakfast.

Though tea and coffee works fine for me, it is known to cause some aggravation to others due to the caffeine content.

You should be cautious about drinking caffeinated beverages before going on a boat if you have a history of having bad reactions with caffeine.

Avoid Alcohol

Though drinking alcohol might seem like a good idea on more festive boating occasions, it can do a real number on your motion sickness if you drink too much.

Alcohol can worsen the effects of motion sickness, so you should always try to drink alcohol in moderation when you’re on a boat.

Drinking can also lead to dehydration, which can cause dizziness and headaches whether you are on a boat or not.

Adjust Your Positioning

Once you have boarded a boat, there are some easy things you can do to deal with motion sickness.

If your boat or ship has seating in the rear, you should try to sit as far back as you can and look as far out on the waters as possible.

Fixing your eyes on a distant location may help you to feel more stable and less dizzy.

Looking down at a book, magazine, or phone screen is a generally bad idea when it comes to motion sickness.

The rear of a boat will likely be the least rocky since there should be less direct impact with the water.

If you are bothered by any smells from the water or the boat’s engine, you should try wearing a dust or medical mask to block the smell.

If you are near someone that is smoking, you can try moving to a different location on the boat.

Your posture and the way you position certain parts of your body might also help with motion sickness.

You should try to keep your head straight in an upright position when sitting or standing on a boat.

Even though leaning on a headrest or railing may seem relaxing, you should avoid leaning too heavily on anything.

If you are in a lower deck of a large ship, you should try to go to a higher deck to breathe fresh air as often as you can.

Being out in the open air should help to cool your body down and let you breathe more freely.

I often get motion sickness on a boat when I’m in a confined space, so getting to a more open area helps to calm me down and feel better.

Once you are out in the open, you should try to breathe in deeply and slowly to steadily relax your mind and body.