Motion sickness and age: what to know

Motion sickness is caused by conflicting information about movement from the eyes, inner ear, and body. Sensitivity can lessen for some people over time, while changes in vision or balance can make travel, screens, or virtual movement feel different. Older adults may also take medicines that contribute to dizziness or drowsiness. Age alone does not explain every new episode.

Pay attention to the setting: car journeys, boats, flights, gaming, or standing up. Note whether symptoms include nausea, sweating, headache, unsteadiness, or [Vomiting](/symptoms/vomiting/), and whether they stop when the motion ends.

Choose a seat with a steady view of the horizon when travelling, face the direction of movement, and keep your head supported. Fresh air and looking at a distant fixed point may help. Avoid reading or using a screen during movement, and take breaks before symptoms build. Eat lightly, drink fluids, and avoid travel when overtired.

If episodes have changed recently, make a list of medicines, vision changes, falls, headaches, or hearing symptoms for your clinician. Ask about options before using an over-the-counter motion-sickness medicine, because some products can cause drowsiness or interact with other medicines. See [Nausea](/symptoms/nausea/) for related symptom information.

Seek urgent help for sudden severe dizziness with weakness, trouble speaking, fainting, confusion, a severe headache, chest pain, or difficulty breathing. Arrange an assessment for new persistent dizziness, repeated falls, hearing loss, symptoms at rest, or vomiting that prevents fluid intake. A clinician can review balance, vision, hearing, hydration, and medicines rather than attributing every change to age.

Could my medicines, eyesight, hearing, or balance be contributing? Should I have a vision or balance assessment? What travel precautions are suitable for my health conditions?