If you often feel nauseous while reading or scrolling through your phone during a car ride, you are not alone. In this edition of HT Lifestyle’s series, ‘Everyday Explained,’ we spoke to Dr Chaithanya Ravikumar, a physician at Koshys Hospital, to understand the science behind motion sickness and why it affects some people more than others.
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Why do some people get motion sickness while reading in a car?
Dr Ravikumar highlighted that motion sickness while reading in a moving car occurs primarily because of a mismatch between the sensory signals received by the brain. The eyes are focused on a relatively stationary object, such as a book or mobile phone, while the inner ear, which helps maintain balance and detect movement, senses that the body is in motion. This conflict between visual and vestibular information can trigger symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, sweating, headache and, in some cases, vomiting.
“The inner ear contains specialised structures that detect changes in movement, direction and acceleration. When a person is travelling in a car, these structures continuously communicate movement-related information to the brain,” explained Dr Ravikumar. However, when the person reads, the eyes remain fixed on the page, creating the impression that the visual environment is stationary. The brain receives conflicting information about whether the body is moving, and this sensory mismatch can activate the neural pathways responsible for motion sickness.
Dr Ravikumar highlighted that not everyone experiences this phenomenon to the same extent. Individual susceptibility varies depending on factors such as age, genetic predisposition, migraine history and sensitivity to sensory conflicts. Children, particularly those between two and twelve years of age, are more susceptible to motion sickness, although it can occur at any age. People with migraines may also be more prone to motion-related nausea and dizziness.
The severity of symptoms can increase when a vehicle frequently accelerates, brakes or changes direction, as these movements create additional stimulation of the balance system. Reading in the back seat, where the road ahead is less visible, may further aggravate the problem. Poor ventilation, strong odours, anxiety, fatigue and dehydration can also worsen symptoms in susceptible individuals.
How to prevent motion sickness?
“The simplest preventive measure is to avoid reading or looking at a phone while the vehicle is moving. Instead, looking outside at the horizon or at distant, relatively stable objects can help the brain reconcile visual information with the movement detected by the inner ear,” advised Dr Ravikumar.
Sitting in the front passenger seat, keeping the head relatively still, ensuring adequate ventilation and taking breaks during long journeys may also help. For individuals who experience significant symptoms, medication may be considered after consulting a doctor, as some motion sickness medicines can cause drowsiness and may not be suitable for everyone.
Motion sickness while reading is generally harmless and does not necessarily indicate an underlying medical condition. “However, if dizziness or nausea occurs frequently even when the person is not travelling, persists after the journey, or is accompanied by severe headache, hearing changes, difficulty walking or other neurological symptoms, medical evaluation is advisable to rule out other causes,” highlighted Dr Ravikumar.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.