Getting sick on an airplane is an issue that can strike anyone, anytime…and for those of you who are thinking, “NAHHH. I fly a lot. Airplane sickness will never be an issue for me,” not so fast, Mr. or Ms. On Your High Horse. Listen to this little anecdote.
My Story
On a short, three hour flight between Washington DC and Denver a few weeks ago, I was settling in happily, on my umpteenth flight in my lifetime, ready to read my book and possibly catch some shuteye. My novel fresh from the library sat in my lap awaiting my sweeping eyeballs, my shoes kicked off and my phone switched into airplane mode. The wheels came up, the plane ascended into the clouds. All of a sudden, I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I figured it is probably the result of the lack of sleep over the course of the past week and didn’t worry about it. Then I started to tremble. I felt sweat budding all over my clammy skin. I started to breathe heavily, getting nervous. This is not normal. This is not normal at all. And there I was, trapped on a teeny, tiny budget airline plane, three more hours of fly-time to go.
I ran into the bathroom, threw open the toilet lid, and yakked. And let me tell you: I never yak. It is barely even in my vocabulary (and neither is vomit or puke or throw-up, just to cover all my bases). I looked into the mirror and saw a sad, tiny, white face staring back at me. I mean sheet white. White as snow. My lips were blended into my colorless complexion, and I looked like I was on the brink of death.
I closed the toilet lid, sat down, and took a short power nap on the counter. At this point I was drenched in sweat. I didn’t care about the people waiting to pee. I didn’t even think about them. I only thought about the nausea and the chills and the need to pass out on this undoubtedly grimy bathroom counter.
Eventually, my body completely empty, I exited the bathroom, ignored the dirty looks from the woman waiting outside, and grabbed the nearest flight attendant. “Help,” I said. “I am sick. I may not make it.” The woman looked confused, but guided me to my seat, brought me a Sprite, and left me alone. I rocked back and forth in the chair and told myself to hold on. Hold on tight. Cling onto that last little bit of life as hard as you can, and don’t give in to the endless darkness of death trying to swallow you whole.
After sipping the Sprite and another 20 minute nap, I was okay. It seemed the worst had passed. I was no longer sweaty, or cold, or nauseated. It was 45 minutes from hell, but I had made it through.
Again, I will say that I have never gotten airsickness in my entire life. It hit me out of the blue and like a ton of bricks. Did I actually think that I would not make it to touchdown in Denver? Yes. Did I silently tell my mom that I loved her in my head? Yes. Was I being a tad dramatic? In retrospect, yes, but at the time, I didn’t think I’d ever felt that sick.
Airsickness on a plane is especially scary because there is nowhere to go, you’re closed into an absurdly tight space, you may not know anyone you’re with, and it puts you in an incredibly vulnerable position. The good news is that it is mostly preventable and definitely manageable, and the flight attendants (even on smaller, budget flights) are kind and willing to help you. Here are some things I could have done differently and some things I did to feel better while dealing with airsickness.
Sleep
We’ve all felt a little shitty when we don’t get enough sleep. I’ve been at a point countless times where I was so sleep deprived I actually felt nauseous. Your body needs sleep. Even if you are planning on sleeping aboard the plane, it is best not the be exhausted when the flight first takes off. I slept about three hours the night before after a long week of work, and I think it triggered the nausea from my seat.
Don’t get on a plane unfed
A drop in blood sugar is what I think also attributed a lot to my dramatic episode. I hadn’t eaten since 4 PM the evening before, and in the morning ate just one hardboiled egg. Having been a runner the past 10 years, I am used to eating something every hour on the hour (or, frankly, even more frequently than that if I’m alone and feeling especially bored), so my body was not happy with me. Food is important.
But Don’t get on a plane with a huge meal in your belly
On the other hand, gorging yourself on something really filling or fatty or spicy right before or during the flight is also not the best idea. If it would upset your stomach on land, it probably won’t do wonders for your stomach at 40,000 feet.
Drink Water
Water is a fantastic thing. There is nothing more annoying to me than people who say they don’t like to drink water because they “don’t like the taste.” Don’t like the taste? Of water?? You mean that tasteless, odorless, colorless substance that makes up literally 60% of your damn body? What planet are these freaks from? Water is delicious, and absolutely necessary for every single function of your body. It preserves the cartilage in joints, it keeps you awake, it keeps your blood pressure at a normal level. And the air on a plane is DRY. Like I don’t think I realized how dry it is when I was younger, but now have to apply Chapstick at least three times per flight and guzzle H20 like there is no tomorrow. There is nothing more important than staying hydrated, especially on a flight. I forgot on the way to Colorado due to the 4 AM wake-up call, but usually will throw an empty reusable water bottle or even an old empty disposable water bottle in my backpack before going through security, and will fill it up at a water fountain before boarding. It prevents you from having to buy an overpriced one from the convenience store in the terminal, though if that’s your only option, DO IT.
And if that doesn’t work, drink a ginger ale
The ginger and the carbonation in ginger ale are both proven to help with nausea. The carbonation and sugar in a Sprite can also be of help (it was my saving grace, let me tell ya). And Gatorade can help replace lost electrolytes during dehydration.
If prone to airsickness, stay away from the back of the plane
Another problem I had: sitting in the very back of the plane. My seat was literally right next to my other seat, the toilet seat in the bathroom (badum cha). Obviously, just like with any other vehicle, the back experiences the most turbulence. If you feel sick try to move towards the center of the plane, even until the nausea subsides a bit. Don’t look out the window if you’re feeling sick, either, as it might contribute to the motion illness issue.
Turn on the AC
AIR CIRCULATION. Stale air is bad. Cool, fresh air is good. Breathe it in deep. Relish in it.
If all else fails, take a Dramamine
This is probably not something you’d ever need unless you’re a frequent airsickness sufferer, but there are of course anti-motion-sickness drugs out there on the market that tons of people use when flying. There are also those little bracelets that serve to reduce nausea as well by applying pressure to your wrist. I’m not sure how well these work. But that’s an option to try.
I think a combination of a lot of things led to my first airsickness, including dehydration and subsequently lowered blood pressure, low blood sugar, lack of sleep, and sitting in the back of the plane. It is easy to get complacent when flying a lot because it seems like so not a big deal after a while. And it isn’t! But don’t forget to take care of yourself, too!
