Airsickness or flight sickness is a distressing motion sickness type that is caused due to flying in the air. Do you feel sick when on board or after landing at the destination? If so, you are one of the many victims of air sickness. When you feel sick up in the air, you turn into the most helpful person on board as there’s just no way to escape. Unless you are a lucky soul to travel first class or business class, the clumsy space of Economy Class will definitely piss you off while you are going through that unwanted flight sickness. Could it be worse? Well, not to scare you but moving during take offs. Landings or turbulence is prohibited. Calm down, you still have the air sickness bags in the seat pocket.

Ohh! What if you are a pilot or flight attendant? You can’t remain on leaves just because you have air sickness, right? We are here with some crucial details of air sickness and how to prevent air sickness smartly. Read on.

Symptoms of Air Sickness

Let’s start with its symptoms to help you know if any of these could be the reasons for your air sickness.

• Increased Salivation
• Queasiness
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Yawning
• Disorientation or incapacitation
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Chills
• Dizziness

Ways to prevent airsickness

For Pilots

Start from short flights: For pilots who are susceptible to flight sickness, taking short flights initially is a better idea than trying getting on to pace right from the start. You need to allow your body to adjust with the motion, pressure and other related changes on air.

Eat Nutritious food before flying: It is important what you eat before your flight. It should be a nutritious diet with low fat and sodium. Remember not to eat right before the flight and even don’t try flying in an empty stomach.

Keep drinking water: You should keep your body hydrated when on flight to avoid parched throat.

Relieve anxieties: If you are a learning pilot and quite anxious about your learning experience, get on board after a thorough study to look confident. Getting to work prepared help reduce anxiety and stress levels. You could also get saved from a nervous stomach.

Have a word to the instructor: If you are under training, you can ask your instructor about the options. Consider flying straight and level, cross-country flight instead of the steep turns allowing your body time to adjust with the motion changes.

For Passengers

Choose the seats carefully: If you fear for air sickness while flying, choose the front seats or the ones closes to the airplane wings as they are more stable than the ones at the back. The concept goes quite similar with that of a bus – the further, the bumpier.

Chew some ginger: Natural remedies like chewing ginger can help maintain your body pressure in a few cases. However, it’s still not a tried and tested method to prevent air sickness.

Pack Dramamine: In case natural remedies don’t come to help, it is best to have medicines handy. Here’s how to stop motion sickness after it starts? Take Dramamine once the plane takes off and the motion plays its game with your body. However, you might feel drowsy but sleeping is better than suffering for those couple of hours.

Try Acupressure: According to a scientific study back in 1995, performing acupressure can help preventing air sickness and can even help to deal with after flight sickness. Try pressing the areas 2 inches below your wrist line using your thumb. Use varying pressures while acupressure to know what suits your case best.

Use air vents: Do not forget you have air vents overhead in the flight cabin. When feeling air sick, you should change the setting of air vents and look up for some relaxation. Sitting in a confined space can cause air sickness and some air will just bring you relief from distress and nausea.

The ‘Don’ts’ to prevent air sickness:

• If a passenger, avoid reading on a flight
• Do not forget to carry extra sick sacks apart from the ones already in your seat pocket
• Do not think negative. Distract your mind to something other than air sickness. Be positive and focus on a task.
• If you are a pilot, do not lose your grip on flying the plane. You have responsibility of hundreds of passengers. Opt for safe landing if your situation gets worse.
• If you are a pilot, do not pop in any pills for flight sickness before takeoff.

The next time you fly an airplane or travel in one, remember these smart hacks to prevent airsickness and enjoy a safe flight.

-Indian Eagle