Many a time, as a daily commuter or a regular long-distance traveller, you would like to keep yourself busy over the journey by reading. As such, you would like to learn tips how to read in the car without getting sick.
On every occasion, you take out your piece of the daily newspaper, a novel, or scroll on the phone to find the latest trending news.
But the moment you start enjoying the first paragraph, hell no! You fall car sick. Relax, I’ll show you tips to complete several novel chapters before getting to your destination.
How to Read in the Car without Getting Sick
Motion sickness happens when the three body parts that sense movement and alert the brain send unmatched signals.
To understand better, your brain relies on physical and visual signals from three parts to sense movement in the body. The body parts are;
- Eyes
- Inner ear
- Nerves in the muscles and joints.
How the Three Parts Work and How They Cause Car Sickness
The first signal is received when eyes send visual images to the brain for interpretation to know you are in motion.
The second is received from the inner ear. The inner ear has some small canals with fluid that make movements when your body shakes. Afterward, the surrounding nerves sense fluid vibrations and signal the brain.
The third signal comes from the joints and muscle nerves when they sense vibration. Relying on these three similar signals, the brain concludes the body is in motion and takes appropriate action to ensure balance.
However, car sickness occurs when the ear, the joints, and the muscle nerves send the vibration signals to alert the brain you’re in motion.
Unfortunately, the eyes’ visual images show you are stationary because you’re focused on your reading material. This unmatched information brings confusion to the brain.
As a result, you experience the following symptoms;
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Feeling sleepy
- Sweating
- Shallow breath
- Salivating
- Vomiting
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Tips to Read in the Car without Experiencing Motion Sickness
1. Alternate Your Motion and Motionless Cues
Because your eyes tell the brain your body is stationary, try to read for a few minutes and look up a little bit.
Once you stare through the window for a few seconds, your brain will balance the physical vibrations with the visual images.
Secondly, you can raise your head straight and keep the reading material in front of the eyes at a small distance.
When your eyes flick off the book and back, they trick your brain not to get into a confusing state.
2. Reduce Physical Motion Sensations
Sitting in the most stable area of the car, like the front passenger seat, will reduce much movement. Your inner ear and the muscle nerves are likely to convince your brain to match with the eyes if you are in a calm place.
Additionally, you can lay your head on the car seat’s headrest for its sponge to absorb most vibrations.
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3. Keep the Car Ventilated
Ensure no one is smoking in the car, and no strong air fresheners are installed. Irritants like cigarette smoke and strong air fresheners may cause nausea.
On the other hand, you can roll down the car windows to allow fresh air to circulate without blowing the book pages. Additionally, you can turn on the car AC for the air to circulate.
4. Stay Relaxed if Car Sickness Symptoms Occur
If you feel some symptoms of nausea and dizziness, quit reading a bit. You can take a deep breath, meditate, or put on your earphones and listen to music.
As you relax, you can close your eyes for a few minutes and resume reading.
5. Avoid Heavy Meals
When you travel with a full stomach, you may experience nausea and vomiting. To read comfortably, avoid greasy and fatty foods like French fries or fried potato chips, keep off spicy foods and alcohol.
Instead, eat dry crackers. They absorb most stomach acid for relaxation. More so, you can add carbonated drinks.
6. Try Medications
Ginger supplements have been long used to reduce nausea while traveling. Additionally, some medications like Antihistamine effectively minimize symptoms of motion sickness.
However, you should see a proven medical doctor for a prescription before taking any medicine.
7. Invest in Audio Books
In your local library, you can find several books you may want to read. Audiobooks are excellent as they don’t disrupt your vision—all you do is play with your phone or a tablet as you enjoy the journey.
8. Wear Acupressure Bands
Over the years, acupressure bands have been believed to reduce nausea. This elastic band with a button-like knob is worn on the wrist. The knob lies between the two tendons and runs parallel under the hand’s skin.
Stimulating this button is believed to reduce nausea symptoms. However, you should not tighten the band to avoid blood flow blockage. Secondly, there is no scientific evidence to back up its effectiveness.
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FAQs about Car Motion Sickness
Why Do I Get Car Sick As a Passenger But Not As a Driver?
You are less prone to car sickness because your three essential movement sensing parts are active as a car driver.
The eyes are keen on the road, the joints and muscles move while controlling the car, and the inner ears sense vibration. This causes perfect balance in your brain.
How Long Does a Motion Sickness Last?
Motion sickness usually lasts for an hour after you get out of the car. However, it can last from four to eight hours in some cases.
If you travel for long hours, your balance organs may be overstimulated, leading to long-term effects. If you continuously experience discomfort after long hours, you should see a doctor.
Can Motion Sickness Be Cured Permanently?
Unfortunately, motion sickness cannot be permanently cured. It’s genetically inherited, and a higher percentage of people fall car sick.
Some people read comfortably in the car without experiencing any effect. It depends on someone’s brain capability to respond to the environment.
However, if you’re prone to car sickness, you can see a doctor for medication before starting the journey. Else, the above-discussed tips for reading in the car without getting sick may help you stay busy with your reading materials throughout your journey.