Understanding Why You Feel Sick While Travelling
Feeling sick while travelling is usually caused by motion sickness, dehydration, heat, food poisoning, or a viral infection. Motion sickness happens when your eyes and inner ear send different signals to the brain during movement, especially in cars, planes, ferries, trains, and buses. However, nausea while travelling can also happen if you are dehydrated, have not eaten properly, are too hot, or have picked up a stomach bug during your journey. The most common symptoms include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, headaches, tiredness, bloating, diarrhoea, and loss of appetite.
Travelling puts extra stress on the body. Long journeys, lack of sleep, irregular meals, warm weather, crowded airports, delayed transport, and changes in routine can all worsen symptoms. In many cases, the cause is simple travel sickness, but sometimes it may be dehydration, heat exhaustion, gastroenteritis, or food poisoning.
For adults travelling around Europe, symptoms can be triggered by winding mountain roads, rough ferry crossings, long train journeys, hot summer city breaks, or budget flights with little airflow and limited hydration. Understanding what is causing your symptoms is the fastest way to find relief.
According to the Irish Health Service Executive, nausea is commonly linked to motion sickness, infections such as flu or norovirus, food poisoning, migraine, and vertigo. Motion sickness itself is especially common during travel by car, boat, plane, or train.
The Top Causes Of Feeling Sick While Travelling
Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is the most common reason people feel sick while travelling. It often happens in cars, ferries, boats, planes, coaches, and trains. Your inner ear senses movement, but your eyes may be looking at something still, such as a phone, a book, or a seat. This can confuse the brain and cause nausea, dizziness, sweating, headaches, and vomiting.
Dehydration
Dehydration is another common reason people feel unwell while travelling. It is often mistaken for travel sickness. Long journeys can make it easy to forget to drink enough water, especially in airports, on trains, on coaches, or during hot weather.
Common signs of dehydration include thirst, dark yellow urine, tiredness, dizziness, dry mouth, and feeling lightheaded.
Traveller’s Diarrhoea Or Food Poisoning
If you feel sick and also have diarrhoea, stomach cramps, bloating, or vomiting, you may have traveller’s diarrhoea or food poisoning.
This can happen when travelling abroad, eating unfamiliar food, or drinking unsafe water.
French public travel advice says traveller’s diarrhoea is one of the most common health problems during trips abroad. It is often caused by contaminated food or water. Raw or undercooked meat, seafood, fruit, and vegetables can carry a higher risk.
Viral Infections And Stomach Bugs
Sometimes, feeling sick while travelling is not caused by movement at all. Busy airports, crowded stations, public transport, hotel buffets, and tourist areas can make it easier to catch viruses and stomach bugs.
Nausea may be the first symptom before diarrhoea, fever, tiredness, body aches, or vomiting start.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is another common reason people feel sick while travelling, especially during summer holidays, city breaks, beach trips, or long days outside.
If you feel sick in hot weather and also have dizziness, sweating, weakness, headaches, or thirst, the heat may be the cause.
Heat and dehydration often happen together and can make people feel shaky, sick, and very tired.
Migraine, Vertigo, or Balance Problems
Sometimes people think they have normal travel sickness when the real problem is migraine, vertigo, or another balance problem.
These conditions can worsen during travel due to bright light, stress, poor sleep, long journeys, and insufficient food or drink.
Anxiety, Poor Sleep, Or Irregular Meals
Travel days can be stressful. Early starts, delays, rushing, poor sleep, and missed meals can all make people feel sick.
Anxiety can upset the stomach, while tiredness and low blood sugar can make dizziness and nausea worse.
Even if these are not the main cause, they can make travel sickness feel much worse.
How To Tell What Is Causing Your Symptoms
If You Feel Nauseous, Dizzy, And Worse On Winding Roads Or Boats
If your symptoms worsen in cars, coaches, ferries, or boats, or during turbulence, motion sickness is the most likely cause. Common signs include nausea, dizziness, cold sweats, headaches, and sometimes vomiting. This is more likely if you are reading, looking at a screen, or sitting in a place where the movement feels stronger.
This pattern usually points to travel sickness rather than an infection. HSE Ireland says motion sickness is caused by repeated movement and often gets better with fresh air, looking ahead, and avoiding screens.
If You Feel Thirsty, Tired, Lightheaded, And Your Urine Is Dark
If you feel sick while travelling and also feel thirsty, tired, dizzy, or notice a dry mouth and dark yellow urine, dehydration may be the cause.
This is common after long flights, in hot weather, after busy days of walking around, after drinking alcohol, or when not having enough water during a journey.
Nausea caused by dehydration is often linked with feeling weak, tired, or headachy, rather than feeling worse because of movement.
HSE Ireland says common signs of dehydration in adults include thirst, dizziness, tiredness, dry mouth, passing less urine, and dark, strong-smelling urine.
If You Have Nausea Plus Diarrhoea, Cramps, Or Fever
If your nausea comes with diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, bloating, or a high temperature, the cause may be a stomach bug, traveller’s diarrhoea, or food poisoning.
This is one of the easiest ways to tell the difference between an infection and motion sickness.
Stomach infections usually persist even after the journey ends, whereas motion sickness often improves once movement stops.
Health experts say vomiting and diarrhoea caused by infection are often linked to gastroenteritis, also known as a stomach bug.
Traveller’s diarrhoea is more likely if you have eaten unsafe food or drunk unsafe water while abroad.
Ireland’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre says traveller’s diarrhoea often causes loose stools, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever, and dehydration.
If you also have a cough, Sore Throat, Fever, Or Body Aches
If your nausea is not closely linked to movement and you also have a cough, sore throat, blocked nose, fever, chills, or body aches, a viral infection is more likely.
Busy airports, train stations, flights, ferries, and crowded tourist areas can make it easier to pick up viruses.
If Symptoms Started In Hot Weather Or After Long Hours In The Sun
If you feel sick while travelling during hot weather, after walking in the sun, or after spending time in a hot car or crowded place, heat and dehydration may be the cause.
Heat-induced nausea is often accompanied by dizziness, sweating, weakness, thirst, and headaches.
Heat exhaustion and dehydration often happen together and can make symptoms worse very quickly.
If It Keeps Happening On Different Trips
If you often feel sick when travelling, even when you have had enough water and have not eaten anything risky, the cause may be motion sickness, migraine, vertigo, or another balance problem.
Research says migraine and vertigo can both cause nausea.
If it keeps happening on different trips, especially with bright lights, screens, winding roads, or poor sleep, there may be a more specific cause.
What Helps Fast When You Feel Sick While Travelling
For Motion Sickness
If you feel sick because of motion, the fastest way to feel better is to reduce the mixed signals between your eyes and inner ear. Look straight ahead or focus on the horizon instead of reading, using your phone, or looking down.
Fresh air can also help. Open a car window, point the air vent towards your face on a plane, or move outside on a ferry if you can.
Where you sit can also make a difference. In a car, the front passenger seat is usually better than the back. On a train, sit facing forward near a window. On a ferry, the middle area is usually more stable than the front or back. On a plane, sitting over the wing may reduce the feeling of movement.
German travel health advice also says it can help to avoid heavy, spicy, greasy, or fatty meals before travelling, as these may worsen nausea. Drinking small amounts of cold water, ginger ale, or fizzy drinks may also help settle your stomach.
For Dehydration
If dehydration is causing your nausea, the best thing to do is to slowly replace lost fluids. Drink small amounts of water often rather than a large amount all at once.
Oral rehydration sachets can help if you have been sweating a lot, vomiting, or have diarrhoea.
If you are travelling in hot weather, it is also important to cool down. Move into the shade, loosen tight clothing, rest somewhere cool, and avoid alcohol until you feel better.
Dry mouth, dark urine, dizziness, and not passing much urine are all signs that you may need more fluids.
For Suspected Food Poisoning Or A Stomach Bug
If your nausea comes with diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, or stomach cramps, rest and fluids are the most important things.
Drink water in small sips, use oral rehydration solutions if needed, and try bland foods such as toast, crackers, rice, bananas, or plain soup until you feel better.
French travel advice recommends avoiding raw vegetables, shellfish, ice cubes, fresh fruit juice, and undercooked eggs, fish, or meat while travelling abroad.
It also recommends drinking bottled or boiled water and washing your hands before eating.
Does Ginger Actually Help?
Yes, ginger can help some adults with mild travel sickness and nausea.
Ginger tea, ginger sweets, ginger biscuits, ginger tablets, or ginger ale are often used to calm the stomach during long journeys.
German travel advice says ginger drinks may help reduce nausea and are worth trying for mild symptoms.
Can Wristbands or Travel Sickness Tablets Help?
Wrist bands for travel sickness may help some people, especially on boats or long coach journeys.
They work by applying pressure to a point on the wrist, which may help reduce nausea.
If you often get travel sickness, medicines from a pharmacy may also help. These often work best if you take them before travelling.
Some travel sickness medicines can make you feel sleepy or dizzy, so they may not be suitable if you are driving.
|
Cause |
Fast Relief |
|
Motion sickness |
Look at the horizon, open a window, and avoid reading |
|
Dehydration |
Drink small amounts of water often |
|
Food poisoning |
Rest and sip fluids |
|
Heat exhaustion |
Move somewhere cool and drink water |
|
Anxiety or stress |
Breathe slowly, rest, and eat a light snack |
How To Prevent Feeling Sick On Your Next Trip
Before You Travel
A little planning can help stop travel sickness before it starts. Try to get a good night's sleep before your trip. Eat a light meal instead of a heavy one, and do not drink too much alcohol.
Travelling on an empty stomach can make nausea worse, so it is better to eat something small before you leave, like toast, crackers, fruit, or yoghurt.
If you often get motion sickness, take travel sickness tablets before your journey starts. They usually work better before you feel sick.
It is also a good idea to bring:
- A bottle of water
- Light snacks
- Oral rehydration sachets
- Ginger sweets or chewing gum
During The Journey
Small changes can make a big difference when you travel.
Try to:
- Sit where there is less movement
- Open a window or use air conditioning
- Look out of the window
- Avoid reading or using your phone too much
- Drink water often
- Eat small snacks instead of big meals
Many people feel better when they look straight ahead or focus on the horizon.
For Food And Water Safety Abroad
Food poisoning is a common cause of illness during travel.
To lower your risk:
- Avoid raw meat or seafood
- Avoid food that looks old or undercooked
- Wash your hands before eating
- Drink bottled water if the local water may not be safe
- Avoid ice cubes if you are unsure about the water source
Be careful with salads, fruit, and uncooked foods if you do not know how they were prepared.
If You Travel A Lot
If you often feel sick while travelling, try to notice what makes it worse.
For example:
- Ferries may make you feel sick because of the strong movement
- Hot weather may make you dehydrated
- Skipping meals may make you feel weak or dizzy
- Using your phone too much may make motion sickness worse
Once you know your triggers, it becomes easier to avoid them and feel better on future trips.
When To Get Medical Help
Most cases of travel sickness, dehydration, or mild food poisoning get better on their own. However, sometimes feeling sick while travelling can be a sign of something more serious.
You should get medical help if you have:
- Vomiting that does not stop
- Severe stomach pain
- Blood in your vomit or stool
- A high fever
- Trouble breathing
- Chest pain
- Signs of severe dehydration
- Confusion or trouble staying awake
- Fainting
- Symptoms that last for several days
Severe dehydration can be dangerous. Warning signs include:
- Very dark urine
- Not urinating for a long time
- Dry mouth
- Feeling very dizzy when standing up
- Fast heartbeat
- Extreme weakness
If you have diarrhoea and vomiting after travelling abroad, especially with fever or blood in your stool, you should speak to a doctor as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Feeling sick while travelling is often caused by motion sickness, dehydration, heat, food poisoning, or a viral infection. In many cases, symptoms improve with rest, fluids, fresh air, and simple changes such as avoiding heavy meals or looking ahead during journeys.
However, if your symptoms are severe, keep coming back, or do not improve after a few days, it is important to speak to a doctor. Ongoing nausea, repeated vomiting, severe stomach pain, or signs of dehydration may need medical advice.
Mobi Doctor can help if you feel unwell while travelling in Europe. You can speak to a doctor online between 7am and 11pm for advice on travel sickness, dehydration, stomach bugs, food poisoning, or other symptoms that are not improving.
