Travel sickness concerns land in Texas

DALLAS (KDAF) — New research has named the states where residents are the most and least concerned about travel sickness.

According to the findings, Texas ranks seventh among the states worst affected by travel sickness, with 49.11 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents. This is 16% higher than the national average of 42.41 searches per 100,000 people.

The top travel sickness-related search terms in the state are ‘motion sickness,’ ‘motion sickness medication,’ and ‘motion sickness pills,’ with 4,000, 3,967, and 2,133, respectively.

The top 10 states most worried about travel sickness 

Rank	State	Average monthly searches per 100,000 people
1.	Hawaii	107.48
2.	Alaska	58.97
3.	California	57.89
4.	Florida	55.56
5.	Nevada	53.07
6.	New York	50.86
7.	Texas	49.11
8.	Georgia	48.75
9.	Maryland	48.10
10.	Washington	47.60

A new study by free walking tour platform GuruWalk analyzed over 20 search terms related to travel sickness, such as ‘how to get rid of car sickness’ and ‘motion sickness pills,’ to identify the states most affected. 

The top 10 states least worried about travel sickness 

Rank	State	Average monthly searches per 100,000 people
1.	West Virginia	29.75
2.	Mississippi	30.02
3.	Montana	31.93
4.	Idaho	31.98
5.	Arkansas	32.33
6.	Oklahoma	32.85
7.	Kentucky	33.44
8.	Kansas	35.14
9.	Indiana	35.30
10.	Wisconsin	35.36

“It’s clear that more geographically isolated states, such as Hawaii and Alaska, are the most concerned about travel sickness,” GuruWalk‘s Carolina Martinez said. “Both rely heavily on boats and planes for inter-island and interstate travel, and therefore, naturally, residents are exposed to more scenarios where motion sickness can occur. 

“In comparison, states like West Virginia and Mississippi are less dependent on air and sea travel and have fewer international visitors. Landlocked states such as Kentucky and Indiana also don’t experience the same island-hopping journeys as Hawaii. 

“With states such as California, New York, and Washington, urban travel and commuting is common. With residents often relying on subways, ferries, and long car journeys, awareness of motion sickness becomes a bigger factor in daily life.” 

The most common searches related to travel sickness in the U.S. are ‘motion sickness medication,’ ‘motion sickness,’ and ‘motion sickness pills,’ with 39,597, 37,139, and 23,334 average monthly searches, respectively. 

This suggests that many Americans are actively looking for medical solutions to manage the symptoms of travel sickness. 

GuruWalk has shared alternative methods to deal with travel sickness if medication isn’t available or effective. 

Before you travel 

Avoid eating heavy, greasy, or spicy meals in the hours before traveling. These foods are harder to digest, and the fullness can add to discomfort, increasing the feeling of nausea caused by travel sickness. 

Instead, opt for a small, plain snack, such as crackers or a banana, and stay hydrated with water. 

If possible, pick a seat where the movement is least noticeable, for example, near the front of a bus, over the wing of a plane, or the middle of a boat. 

During travel 

If traveling by car or boat, try focusing on a fixed point on the horizon. This gives your brain a stable visual reference, reducing the sensory mismatch that causes dizziness. 

Reading or interacting with screens can increase this, so it is best to find a different activity to occupy yourself, such as listening to music or a podcast. 

Some people find that chewing gum or sucking on mints helps, as the increased saliva production can neutralize stomach acids and ease queasiness. 

Ginger can also reduce vomiting by soothing your stomach and blocking signals to your brain that trigger nausea. 

A simple trick is to bring ginger biscuits as a travel snack, which can be bought from supermarkets and easily fit in a carry-on bag.