Motion Sickness

[SUCCESSOR]

I have always had a problem with motion sickness. When I was a kid it wasn't so bad. It basically was only a problem in the back seat of a car in a trip with lots of starts and stops or carnival rides with lots of spinning. Which sucked because I loved "scary rides" but even though the height or falls didn't scare me the spinning motions would make me ill for hours.

Now that I am an adult it's hard to ride in a car with someone else driving without getting a little ill. Riding the bus often now I'd like to be able to read or play video games while waiting. I can play a bit on the bus (like 5 minutes at a time) but reading for a couple minutes is almost impossible. I always thought it was just a thing some people could do and others can't.

I have been looking into it and some studies suggest you can train yourself to not get motion sick, at least to some degree. Anyone have any experience with getting over motion sickness? Can you read or play games in a car or bus? What helps?

[CJC]

Well I haven't been able to completely conquer motion sickness but I've extended my tolerance to roughly an hour before I become ill.

In my earlier years it was pretty severe; I'd lose my lunch on even short car trips. Having access to a window helped, because the breeze counteracted the nausea.

I think part of the cause of motion sickness is the awareness that you are moving when--relative to all the objects around you--you are essentially still. If you can trick yourself into knowing that you are moving (step in place with your feet or have access to a breeze) it will help.

How to gain tolerance for reading or playing a game, though, I can't say. It's always made me ill, so I don't even try anymore.

[SUCCESSOR]

I think It'd be easier to read if I had an ereader. My phone may have an over 4 inch screen but most of the time getting font to a large view is tricky. Which just circles back to the fact that I need to read more book(instead of obscure articles).

[ShadowTiger]

I used to have horribly awful motion sickness in cars. I used to be afraid of getting into them and riding for long periods of time out of the fear that I'd throw up in the middle of the road and cars would slip on them, careening into other vehicles and cause a ten car pile-up that was all my fault because someone had to transport me somewhere.

I got over it by forgetting that I got motion sickness, roughly when I was eleven. I was too distracted by reading a book (Ironic) and arrived at my destination before I had known it. I never had it since. I guess when I realized I didn't have to get sick, I stopped focusing on it, and the problem went away. Strangest thing.

[SUCCESSOR]

I used to have horribly awful motion sickness in cars. I used to be afraid of getting into them and riding for long periods of time out of the fear that I'd throw up in the middle of the road and cars would slip on them, careening into other vehicles and cause a ten car pile-up that was all my fault because someone had to transport me somewhere.

I got over it by forgetting that I got motion sickness, roughly when I was eleven. I was too distracted by reading a book (Ironic) and arrived at my destination before I had known it. I never had it since. I guess when I realized I didn't have to get sick, I stopped focusing on it, and the problem went away. Strangest thing.

Sounds more like anxiety than motion sickness.

[ShadowTiger]

Sounds more like anxiety than motion sickness.

Sounds a bit like Chicken or the egg here?

[Phazite]

I don't even attempt to read or play games in the car, or even look down for extended periods of time. Motion sickness strikes sometimes within a few seconds. It takes much longer on a bus, but that's why I started listening to audio books. I don't know why, but I seem to be most prone to motion sickness around sunset. At night I seem to be much more immune. I just hope the oculus rift agrees with me.

I used to have horribly awful motion sickness in cars. I used to be afraid of getting into them and riding for long periods of time out of the fear that I'd throw up in the middle of the road and cars would slip on them, careening into other vehicles and cause a ten car pile-up that was all my fault because someone had to transport me somewhere.

God, you made me laugh. I know better than to read forums in the library too.

[SUCCESSOR]

I don't even attempt to read or play games in the car, or even look down for extended periods of time. Motion sickness strikes sometimes within a few seconds. It takes much longer on a bus, but that's why I started listening to audio books. I don't know why, but I seem to be most prone to motion sickness around sunset. At night I seem to be much more immune. I just hope the oculus rift agrees with me.


God, you made me laugh. I know better than to read forums in the library too.

I would be afraid to spend money on something like the Oculous Rift. It looks amazing! And it would all be ruined by putting it on and getting sick in a few minutes. What I want to know is... Can I wear one of those things around everywhere I go and have a Terminator like vizor analyzing everything I see?!

Laughing out loud in public is the best. Especially in places where loud outbursts and unexpected.

[erm2003]

A friend of mine has a similar problem when riding in cars, especially if she is in the back seat. She has to take Dramamine before long car rides especially, but I think she also takes it before flying and other things as well. Her situation is also complicated by a touch of Vertigo, but Dramamine works well for motion sickness. The only time I took it was when I went on a whale watching boat when I was younger - just in case. Have you tried using it before longer car rides? It may not work the same for everyone.

[Mercy]

Are you prone to inner-ear infections? Sometimes motion sickness is caused by a physical irregularity, usually something with the inner-ear. If you are not particularly prone to vertigo, it is probably not that but something to think about.

I only get motion sick reading in cars; boats have never been a problem and I can stay in a gravitron until my legs turn to jelly and still walk a straight line. If you are like me, it is no actually the motion but the blur of peripheral images that causes the sensation and that can be averted somewhat. When I speed read, no sickness, probably because I hyperfocus when speed reading and do not see anything beyond the lines on the page. That does nothing when reading road signs but I do not get motion sick reading road signs. The other thing that helps is just relaxing the eyes and keeping focus soft. Take a moment every few minutes of reading time to look around and casually appreciate the scenery beyond the vehicle. And do not forget to breathe -- in through the nose, out through the mouth. There is a physiological response to the strong inhalation of air through the sinus passages that helps relax the eyes and alleviate dizziness.