You can love the water all you like, but if you’re prone to motion or sea sickness, you’re likely to experience it. Sea sickness is caused by a sense of confusion in your senses; simply put, when your senses feel overwhelmed, your brain can’t process all the mixed signals being hurled at it.
On a boat or jet ski, your body is experiencing a range of sights, sounds, smells and tactile sensations such as wind, sunshine, motion and riding the waves up and down. It’s a fairly common ailment that people have been trying to combat for centuries.
What are the symptoms of motion/sea sickness?
This feeling is characterized by a few tell-tale signs such as:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Shivering
- Sweating
- Uneasiness
It may seem kind of negligible, but in truth, motion sickness can be quite unnerving. It’s even worse if you’re out on the water frequently and feel sick each time.
So how do I deal with sea sickness?
Sea sickness can be managed through a bunch of different techniques, ranging from medication to meditation. Some of the most highly recommended, tried-and-tested methods collected from experience are as follows:
1) Watch what you eat and drink before getting on board
Foods that don’t agree with you, or foods that are generally rich and heavy, tend to take longer to digest. So, if you enjoy a hearty meal laden with fat right before you get on the boat, or sip on one too many margaritas, there’s a greater likelihood of you feeling sick soon.
Eat light and hydrate plenty, and minimize how much alcohol you have before you get on a boat, or even have on board, especially if you know you’re prone to motion sickness.
2) Watch the horizon
It helps to focus on a stationary point when you’re surrounded by so much movement. The horizon is usually the only thing that’s not moving about when you’re on a boat, because everyone and everything else is.
3) Keep breathing
Taking deep bretahs regulate your breathing and your heart rate, as well as helps you slow down. It’s a great way to combat nausea and sickness, so find a spot where you have some space, close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly.
4) Chew gum
The motion of chewing and the flavor of gum are also great for beating sickness. It may not work for everyone, but it is something that helps a lot of people, and keeps the vomit at bay.
5) OTC medicine
Of course, if nothing else works, modern medicine has you covered. There are plenty of OTC medications to help combat sea sickness, so head over to your nearest pharmacy to grab some.
Boating is a great experience, but safety in all regards should be a priority. This is why at Boater’s Academy, we offer jet ski safety courses online and boater safety education courses online. Find out how to enroll here.