Tips to Help Prevent Travel-Sickness on Your Next Business Trip

Female business executive travelling by a cab

We’ve compiled 5 simple things you can do to prevent and combat the symptoms of travel sickness, otherwise known as motion sickness, whether you’re traveling on a plane, train, or bus. When you’re traveling for business, it’s important to arrive at your destination ready to perform at your best, as travel schedules are usually jam-packed and tight on time.

  1. Eat a light meal before boarding the vehicle: having a few light snacks before the journey, such as fruit, vegetables or some crackers.
  2. Choose the right seat for you: pick a seat close to the window and try to focus on a point on the horizon to give your brain an external reference. If you are traveling after sunset, choose a seat in the middle of the vehicle where the movements and oscillations of the vehicle are less dramatic.
  3. Try to look out of the window and only concentrate on details in the cabin for short periods of time.
  4. Chew some minty chewing gum: Mint flavouring also has a soothing effect on the stomach, alleviating the sensation of nausea and indigestion
  5. Use anti-nausea natural remedies: ginger and lemon tea – these flavours encourages the brain to pay more attention to the information coming from the body. 

Other tips to help you have a great business trip:

  • Turn your phone and email “out of office” message on before you go, making it clear that you will not be as quick to respond while you’re away. Also, do not promise to reply as soon as you get back. Instead, set realistic expectations of when you may be able to respond to your emails and voicemails – we suggest something like “I will endeavor to respond to your inquiries within a few days after my return. If your inquiry is urgent, please contact my colleague at (insert colleagues’ contact info here).”
    *Don’t forget to ask permission from your colleague to direct urgent inquiries their way.
  • Bring hand sanitizer, moisturizing nasal spray, and moisturizing eye drops to use while you are traveling. Often the air in the plane, train or bus is very dry, making your eyes, nose and throat dry and itchy. These environments can make it really easy for germs to spread.
  • Wear comfortable shoes while travelling: often there are long walks between terminals, or between train or bus stops. You don’t want to be wearing tight or uncomfortable shoes when you’re also juggling your luggage over long distances. Comfortable shoes can also be helpful if your feet tend to swell during long flights.
  • Stay hydrated. Drink more water than usual, limit your alcohol, and try to avoid salty or sugary drinks, all of which can contribute to overall discomfort while travelling.
  • Carry emergency contact info with you at all times, including personal or emergency contact info, hotel info, etc. If you’re traveling internationally, be sure to make a note of local consulate contact info for your country. Make copies of your travel documents to leave with a trusted person back home in case you misplace anything in transit.


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