Your Fail-Safe Guide to Combatting Sea Sickness

Permission to come aboard? Absolutely. From the rise of luxury liners from hoteliers like Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton to local ferries, this summer is a better time than any to set sail. But while spending time at sea might seem like a glamorous adventure—replete with windswept hair and gorgeous photos—there’s a darker side to the endeavor. That’s right, we’re talking about sea sickness. A queasy stomach? Throbbing headache? Days-long dizziness? Um, no thank you.

Nobody wants to get hit with a bout of seasickness, but Jessica Rodriguez of Davey’s Locker & Newport Landing Whale Watching says everyone’s susceptible to it—even experienced boaters. The good news? It’s often manageable and, if you’re lucky, preventable. “The more experience you have on the water, the less seasick you will become overtime,” says Rodriguez. “Paying attention to how you feel and responding early can make a significant difference in how severe the symptoms become and how long they last.”

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Here, she shares her insider tips to keeping seasickness at bay.

Places Please

Turns out, the secret to smooth sailing is location, location, location. Since a boat’s upper deck typically rocks more than lower levels, Rodriguez says to limit time on the top floor. If you’re experiencing symptoms, the best seat is on the lower level near the back of the boat, where the rocking is usually less intense.

Speaking of which, avoid spending too much time in the galley. “It’s important to have access to a shaded and well-ventilated place to rest,” Rodriguez says. Not only can fresh alleviate nausea, but it can also help your mind-body connection. “When your inner ear senses the motion of the waves while your eyes view the boat’s interior as stable, this mismatch between sight and feeling confuses your brain,” she adds. “Looking at the horizon helps your brain process motion more accurately.”

Mind Your Meals

Cruises might be synonymous with all-you-can-eat buffets, but a decadent, multi-course meal won’t do you any favors. “Having an empty or too full stomach and eating excessive sugar tend to make it worse,” she says. “Alcohol can worsen symptoms, and waiting too long to take medication reduces its effectiveness.” Instead, Rodriguez encourages you to have a lighter meal and stay hydrated. If you’re really struggling, she recommends saltines and small sips of water.

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Pack Your Bags

“Preparation helps people recover faster and feel more at ease,” Rodriguez says. Translation? It’s in your best interest to anticipate the worst-case scenario—and pack your bags accordingly. Rodriguez recommends picking up motion sickness medication and taking it an hour before your vessel embarks. Equally important are ginger chews and acupressure wristbands, which can alleviate a spontaneous bout of sea sickness.

In a perfect world, we’d have all the sickness squashing essentials at our disposal, but what if that’s not the case? What if you’re currently reading this on a particularly rickety boat ride? Beeline it to the bar, but not for the reason you’d think. “I’ve seen an improvement in seasickness if you can suck on a lemon or lime wedge,” Rodriguez.

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Stay Present

Since our smartphones are basically extensions of ourselves, we’re all guilty of using any downtime we have to send a flurry of emails, catch up on texts, or scroll through Instagram. (Yes, even if that downtime happens to be on a luxurious ocean liner.) However, Rodgriuez encourages you to step away from your smart devices. 

Remember what she said about spending too much time inside the galley? The same logic applies here. “Looking at a phone or reading can intensify the disconnect between what your body feels and what your eyes see,” she says. After all, if you’re going to spend the day on a fancy yacht or adorable Duffy boat, why not enjoy it? The emails and text messages can wait.

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