Feeling Airsick?

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

01 Jun 2008 11:17 AM

I'm not a very good flier. The slightest bump leaves me clutching the arm rests, heart thudding and sweaty. But one thing I've never done is actually needed to use the barf bag in the seat pocket.

I do, however, tend to get motion sickness. It's worse in a car than in a plane, but I still experience some of the symptoms. If you get airsick, here are a few tips to help soothe your stomach (and other body parts).

• Bring peppermint or ginger candies with you. These are two traditional remedies for an upset stomach that really work!
• When the beverage cart comes around, ask for some ginger ale to sip.
• When you book your tickets or check in for the flight, try to get a seat near the wing. Think of an airplane like a seesaw -- the most motion will be felt at the ends, not at the middle.
• Keep the air moving. This is one trick that always helps me, whether I'm airsick or carsick. Fresh air on my face makes me feel better!
• Bring some kind of distraction. For some people, reading makes airsickness worse. For others, a good book (or a puzzle, or a movie, or a video game) can make the time pass quickly. And don't forget to bring earphones for the in-flight movie!

If you're sick before your flight, it may be best to not fly at all. I know it can be a pain to reschedule flights and vacations, but in the long run, you might be happier (and feel better) not boarding that plane if you're already feeling bad.

A friend of mine was recently taken off a flight because she was barfing before the plane even took off. She hadn't been feeling well, but was determined to tough it out for a business trip. Instead, she ended up grounded -- and good thing, too. Her stomach ended up misbehaving for several days. She was miserable (and could have made the other passengers miserable, too). But in the end, she was glad they took her off the flight.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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