Sea motion sickness: what to know

On a moving boat, your inner ear senses rolling and pitching while your eyes may see a cabin that appears still. The mismatch can disturb the brain's balance processing. [Nausea](/symptoms/nausea/) and [Vomiting](/symptoms/vomiting/) are common responses, and symptoms often improve after the movement stops.

Motion sickness is not a sign that you are weak or that the journey is unsafe. However, repeated vomiting can lead to dehydration and make it difficult to participate safely in activities on deck.

Choose a place with less movement when possible, look toward the horizon, get fresh air, and keep your head still. Avoid reading or looking down at a screen. Eat a light meal rather than travelling on a very full or empty stomach, and sip fluids regularly.

If you often become unwell at sea, arrange a [Travel Health Consultation](/treatments/occupational-and-travel-medicine/travel-health-consultation/) before departure. A clinician or pharmacist can discuss prevention and whether a medicine is suitable for you.

Ask for medical help if vomiting continues after you are off the boat, you cannot keep fluids down, you pass very little urine, or you feel faint or confused. Seek urgent help for chest pain, severe headache, weakness, breathing difficulty, or symptoms that do not fit ordinary motion sickness.

Ask which seat or cabin position may help, when to start prevention, whether your regular medicines affect your choices, and what to do if vomiting continues after the trip.