travel sickness
When the train ride becomes torture
Trains score with lower CO2 emissions compared to traveling by plane or car.
© Soloviova Liudmyla/ Shutterstock.com
Train travel is popular, but travel sickness plagues many. With a few tricks, the ride on rails becomes more pleasant.
Train journeys are a popular option for travelers – not just since the Germany-wide ticket for regional trains. Whether for business trips, city trips or longer vacations, express trains are popular and often offer a pleasant level of comfort – if it weren’t for the travel sickness that plagues many travellers. According to estimates by experts, about a third of all adults suffer from it. But don’t worry: with a few tricks, you can make the journey more pleasant again.
Travel sickness: when it occurs and where it comes from
Discomfort occurs when our sense of balance is upset. This is the case when our brain wants to process contradictory information because the body is telling the brain that it is stationary while the organ of equilibrium is sending movement signals. Symptoms are particularly common when the train travels winding routes or makes unexpected movements while looking inward at a book, screen or smartphone.
Typical symptoms: Why women suffer from travel sickness more often
The typical symptoms range from nausea and dizziness to stomach problems. In addition, those affected occasionally suffer from tachycardia, sweating or pale faces while driving. There may be a general feeling of exhaustion or drowsiness.
Women also suffer from motion sickness much more often than men. This was the result of a survey by the online portal jameda. In it, 38 percent of the women stated that they were occasionally affected by travel sickness, and six percent of the women were even plagued by it on every trip. For men, on the other hand, only 20 percent stated that they occasionally suffered from symptoms. Scientists suspect a connection between the female cycle and susceptibility to travel sickness. Women are also more likely to be affected by pregnancy.
The good news is that travel sickness decreases with age. According to a jameda survey, around 61 percent of those over 60 have never been plagued by travel sickness. From a medical point of view, the reason for this is that perception decreases with age.
Travel sickness can be minimized with these tricks
Luckily, motion sickness symptoms don’t last very long. In most cases, once the body adjusts to the movement, the symptoms subside. If they do stay, there are some proven ways to minimize train sickness.
View out of the window: Instead of going to work and staring at your laptop, following your social media feed or reading a book, you should look out of the window when you get travel sickness. Concentrating on the passing landscape can help to stabilize the perception of the balance system.
Seat selection: There is often temporary nausea when sitting in the opposite direction to the direction of travel. A seat should therefore be in the direction of travel and as close as possible to the window. This can reduce symptoms because visuals match movements better.
Avoiding strong odors: Odors can also increase discomfort. So staying in a well-ventilated area of the train can help. At some stops it is also a good idea to leave the train for a short time to get some fresh air on the platform.
Nutrition: You should also eat well for a train journey. Because both an empty stomach and a full one can promote travel sickness. It helps to avoid heavy, greasy meals before the train journey and instead eat light and easily digestible snacks.
Activity: Candy and chewing gum can reduce nausea. Because it has a calming effect on the stomach and also distracts. Distracting yourself with an audio book or music can also help.
Relaxation techniques: Breathing exercises or meditation can help reduce anxiety and stress that could make motion sickness worse. Sleeping during the train journey can also help.
Over-the-counter motion sickness medications may also be helpful for some people. 26 percent of the jameda survey participants stated that they could get the problems under control with special tablets, chewing gum or plasters. However, it is always advisable to speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking it to rule out possible individual risks.