Best Drinks for Motion Sickness

Plain water, ginger tea and oral rehydration solution are practical drinks for motion sickness, though none is proven to prevent it.

For options addressing other concerns, browse natural remedies by health goal.

What are the 5 best drinks for motion sickness?

An ai symptom analyzer can help you organize symptoms, but it cannot diagnose motion sickness or replace a clinician.

These five options are ranked for practicality, not proven effectiveness. Plain water is the simplest choice; oral rehydration solution becomes more useful if vomiting has caused fluid loss.

Drink-specific research is limited. A small randomized motion-sickness experiment used a placebo drink alongside expectations and changes in rotation; it did not establish that a drink ingredient prevents motion sickness. The options below are therefore ways to stay comfortable and hydrated, not substitutes for a proven prevention plan.

1. Plain water

Plain water is the most straightforward choice when you feel motion sickness. It replaces fluid without adding sweetness, acidity or caffeine, any of which may be uncomfortable for some people. It does not correct the mismatch between motion signals that contributes to motion sickness.

Keep water within reach and take small sips rather than drinking a large amount at once. Cool or room-temperature water may be easier to tolerate than a temperature you find unpleasant. If you vomit, let your stomach settle before trying another small sip.

The benefit here is hydration, not a demonstrated anti-nausea effect. If you prefer a little flavor, see detox water for motion sickness; infused water is still primarily a way to make drinking water more appealing. The liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification, while the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste.

2. Ginger tea

Ginger is commonly used for nausea, making mild ginger tea a reasonable option to try if you like its flavor. Ginger contains naturally occurring compounds that may affect the digestive tract, but how a cup of ginger tea might affect motion sickness is uncertain.

Choose a mild tea and let it cool to a comfortable temperature. Sip it slowly before or during travel, stopping if the taste, smell or warmth makes you feel worse. A stronger drink is not necessarily more effective and may be harder to tolerate.

We found no direct evidence that ginger tea prevents or treats motion sickness. Evidence about ginger ingredients or extracts should not be assumed to apply to a cup of tea. For more tea options, see best tea for motion sickness.

3. Oral rehydration solution

An oral rehydration solution contains water, salts and sugar in proportions intended to help the body absorb fluid. It is most relevant if motion sickness has led to repeated vomiting and you need to replace lost fluid and electrolytes. It is not usually necessary for mild nausea when you can drink water normally.

Use a commercially prepared solution or mix a packaged product exactly as its label directs. Take small sips and increase gradually if they stay down. Mixing it stronger or weaker than directed can change the balance of water and salts.

Oral rehydration solution addresses fluid loss; it does not prevent the motion signals that cause motion sickness. It also does not replace medical care when vomiting is persistent or dehydration is significant. People on fluid restrictions or with conditions that affect salt balance should ask a clinician before using it.

4. Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea is another mild drink to consider if its taste is soothing to you. The fluid can contribute to hydration, and choosing an herbal tea without caffeine avoids a stimulant that may make some travelers feel uncomfortable. That does not establish a specific effect on motion sickness.

Let the tea cool to a comfortable temperature and sip slowly. Check the label if you want to avoid caffeine, since blends may contain other tea ingredients. If the smell or flavor worsens nausea, choose water instead.

Direct evidence that peppermint tea prevents or relieves motion sickness is lacking. Peppermint may also worsen heartburn or acid reflux for some people. For nondrink approaches to use while traveling, see home remedies for motion sickness.

5. Diluted apple juice

Diluted apple juice can be an alternative when plain water is difficult to drink. Its potential benefit is mainly the fluid it provides; there is no direct evidence that apple juice itself prevents or relieves motion sickness.

Dilute the juice with drinking water and try a small sip. If sweetness makes your nausea worse, switch to water. Very sweet drinks can aggravate diarrhea, so avoid relying on juice if diarrhea is also present.

Juice is not an equivalent replacement for oral rehydration solution after substantial fluid loss because its sugar and salt balance is different. Do not give juice to infants; ask a pediatric clinician about appropriate fluids if an infant or young child is vomiting.

Which drinks should you avoid with motion sickness?

Avoid alcohol before and during travel if you are prone to motion sickness. It can worsen dizziness and may add to the drowsiness caused by some motion-sickness medicines.

Be cautious with highly caffeinated drinks, especially if caffeine makes you feel jittery or upsets your stomach. Very sweet, acidic or carbonated drinks are not necessarily a problem for everyone, but they can feel uncomfortable; choose a milder option if they make your symptoms worse. A large drink taken quickly can also be harder to tolerate than small sips.

You do not need to force yourself to finish a drink that tastes or smells unpleasant. For eating suggestions, see best foods for motion sickness.

How much should you drink for motion sickness?

There is no established fluid amount that prevents motion sickness. Drink according to your thirst and tolerance rather than trying to reach a special target during the trip.

If you feel nauseated, start with a small sip and pause before trying another. Continue gradually if the fluid stays down. Before travel, drink normally rather than consuming a large amount immediately before departure.

If you have vomited, fluid replacement matters more than the particular flavor of the drink. Try small, frequent sips of water or an oral rehydration solution as tolerated. Persistent vomiting, inability to keep fluids down or signs of dehydration call for medical advice rather than simply trying to drink more.

Follow your clinician's advice if you have been told to limit fluids or electrolytes. A general suggestion to drink more may not be appropriate for you.

When should you see a doctor?

Seek prompt medical advice if vomiting continues, you cannot keep fluids down, you urinate much less than usual, or you feel faint or unusually weak. Children and pregnant people can need advice sooner when vomiting makes it difficult to maintain fluids. For an infant or young child with vomiting or fewer wet diapers than usual, contact a pediatric clinician promptly.

Get urgent care for blood in vomit, severe abdominal pain, confusion, fainting, a severe headache with a stiff neck, or new weakness. Do not assume these symptoms are caused by motion sickness. Also contact a clinician if symptoms do not settle after travel or are new, severe or different from your usual experience.

Ask a clinician or pharmacist about suitable options before using motion-sickness medicines in children or during pregnancy. If you take medicines, particularly blood thinners, or have gallstones, check before using ginger regularly or in concentrated products. People with reflux may prefer to avoid peppermint if it worsens symptoms; those with kidney disease or prescribed fluid or salt restrictions should check before using oral rehydration products.