How to Avoid Getting Sick on a Roller Coaster

Step 1: Avoid heavy meals Avoid eating heavy meals right before you venture onto an intense ride. Don’t stuff yourself with corn dogs and cotton candy and avoid acids like soft drinks and fruit juices. Instead, opt for lighter fare like a sandwich or a salad.
TIP: Tilting your head to the side can actually increase motion sickness. Instead, keep your head straight, close your eyes, and breathe deeply through your mouth.
Step 2: Stay hydrated Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, especially on hot summer days. In addition to minimizing motion sickness, staying hydrated wards off heat stroke and dehydration.
TIP: Natural remedies to prevent motion sickness include ginger capsules and ginger ale, as well as pressure-point bracelets.
Step 3: Rest up Rest for a few minutes after exiting an intense ride. Allow your body to adjust and regain its equilibrium. Sit on a bench and put your head between your legs if you still feel nauseous.
Step 4: Ride in the front Ride in the coaster’s first car. Riding in front minimizes your chances of motion sickness.
Step 5: Take medication Take Dramamine, an over-the-counter motion sickness medication, about an hour before you arrive at the park. But be careful — it can cause drowsiness.
FACT: As of 2010, the Kingda Ka roller coaster at the Six Flags amusement park in New Jersey was the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world.

Lessons in this Guide