Seasickness can affect anyone, and whether you're a seasoned seafarer that suffers from it or you're new to sailing, the symptoms can be at the very least unpleasant and at worst, put you off enjoying what you love doing most.

What is Seasickness?

Seasickness, or kinetosis (motion sickness), is generally caused by disputing sensory systems in the body. Information from both visual senses and the motion senses located in your inner ear are interpreting different forms of movement - this mismatch causes those all too familiar seasickness symptoms such as cold sweats, pale skin, dizziness, increased saliva content and even headaches, vomiting and fatigue.

Although some level of queasiness is pretty normal when you haven't been back on the boat for a while, if you're constantly suffering from bouts of boat sickness, Sea Chest are here to give you a run-down of the best treatments to fight the symptoms.

#1. Relax your stomach
It may be obvious, but don't go for a heavy fry-up right before heading out into the choppy seas. Foods with a high acid content are only going to aggravate any potential sickness problems later on. We recommend eating a plain breakfast and food containing ginger due to its acid neutralising properties.

#2. Avoid alcohol
It goes without saying but a hangover and seasickness are not an enjoyable combination.

#3. Get some rest
Grogginess and fatigue will make you more prone to developing seasickness symptoms. We recommend a good night's sleep before you sail and to stay as hydrated as possible.

#4. Keep An Eye On The Horizon
Reading, looking at charts, focusing on detailed tasks for a long time and doing activities below deck all contribute to the sensory conflict that results in seasickness. It's important to be as spacially aware as possible to help with stabilisation and maintaining sensory equilibrium.

#5. Look out for symptoms
Got a headache? Chills? Dizziness? The faster you feel symptoms coming on, the sooner you can act to prevent them.

#6. Stay calm
Anxiety and stress around the boat will only contribute to you feeling worse, so try to remain in places onboard that are away from engine fuel smells where you can get fresh air and stay level headed.

#7. Keep your triggers in mind
Remember the last time you were seasick? If so, try to think back to what caused it, what you were doing at the time and what you can do to avoid it this time.

#8. Take an antiemetic
If you are a prolific seasickness sufferer, one of the best forms of medication for nausea comes in the form of antiemetic drugs, including antihistamines, many of which you can buy over the counter. Most antiemetics work by counteracting the release of certain chemicals in the brain that lead to feelings of sickness, but we recommend doing some research first and making sure that you're aware of what you're taking and any potential side effects.

#9. Avoid direct sunlight
The deck is a harsh place for sun exposure and spending hours in direct sunlight will leave you open to the perils of dehydration, which combined with seasickness symptoms, can be dangerous.

#10. Plan ahead
Most importantly of all, make sure you have written up an itinerary of the things you need to take with you and before you know it you'll be on track to having a great new season of sailing!​

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Post By Ed Mason