IF YOU'RE heading to a theme park soon, you may be nervous about the havoc the thrill-seeking twists and turns will cause on your stomach.
A doctor has revealed several ways to prevent motion sickness including making sure you nab the right seat.
Dr Louis J Morledge, MD, an Internal and Travel Medicine specialist, told Attractiontickets.com the key ways to reduce motion sickness on rollercoasters.
One is to prepare for your day correctly by avoiding heavy meals, alcohol and spicy or fatty foods before heading onto the stomach churning rides.
Try nabbing the seat in the middle of the carriage because this will minimise motion and reduce sickness.
While breaking up the day with short walks, and snipping on cold water or a sweet fizzy drink like ginger ale will help too.
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Getting as much fresh air as possible will allow you breathe better, just make sure to avoid strong smells such as gas or diesel.
Doctor Morledge explains that closing your eyes will reduce any confusion between the eyes and the brain to help lower motion sickness.
Morledge said: "Motion sickness is most frequently caused by a repetition of unusual and often jarring movements, affecting one’s brain’s sensors and resulting in a lack of balance."
He explained that repeated movements, bumps and moving around in a circle can send confusing messages to the brain.
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Morledge added: "Often motion sickness starts when what is going on outside vs inside is completely different."
This is because the brain and balance mechanisms aren't in sync, and are sending mixed messages, which cause motion sickness.
The Travel Medicine specialist said: "Motion sickness can be triggered by a wide variety of things from strong smells, such as food or gas – or anxiety.
Motion sickness is more common in children and women, but many children outgrow it. It is still a mystery as to why some people develop motion sickness."
Experts have also revealed that rides get faster throughout the day – so you are best going on slower rides like the Ferris Wheel early in the morning if you're after a thrill later in the day.
Theme park designer Brian Morrow explained that rollercoasters get faster throughout the day because they need to warm up earlier in the day, like a car.
He told Mental Floss: "A coaster running in the morning could run slower when cooler.
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“The wheels are not as warm, the bearings are warming up. That could be different by 2 pm, with a slicked-up wheel chassis."
So if you’re a speed freak, it might be better to wait until later on in the day before boarding the most terrifying ride in the park, because then it will go even faster.
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