Why do I get so sick after roller coasters?

What causes motion sickness? Your brain receives signals from motion-sensing parts of your body: your eyes, inner ears, muscles and joints. When these parts send conflicting information, your brain doesn't know whether you're stationary or moving. Your brain's confused reaction makes you feel sick.



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Motion sickness occurs when your brain can't make sense of information sent from your eyes, ears and body. Lots of motion — in a car, airplane, boat, or even an amusement park ride — can make you feel queasy, clammy or sick to your stomach.

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People with high blood pressure and/or heart conditions are warned not to ride roller coasters because of the way they tax the cardiovascular system. The adrenaline rush that roller coasters give you causes a rapid spike in your heart rate and blood pressure.

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The truth is that most visits to the amusement park are full of thrills, fun and are statistically quite safe. However, some amusement park rides, and especially roller coasters, are a significant cause of neck and spine injuries. While these injuries don't make the nightly news, they can slow you down.

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Do eat a small, healthy meal a couple of hours before riding. But don't overeat, and avoid coffee, tea and fruit juices, which increase stomach acidity. Based on the research and medical-professional recommendations, eating a light meal before riding a roller coaster is not a bad idea.

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Balance is determined by your inner ear struggling to keep you aligned with a level plane so, no, closing your eyes will not assist whenever you're struggling with balance concerns on a roller coaster. Induced vertigo, however, is probably what's causing the most difficulties on a roller coaster.

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Do not eat a full meal or drink a sugary beverage minutes before hopping on a ride! On the flip side, you don't want to get on a big roller coaster with an empty stomach as that may make you feel even worse. Snack on something fairly bland about 30 minutes to an hour before hopping in line.

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Roller coasters are good for stress relief, fighting phobias, and clearing your sinuses.

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And, experts believe that those at the fear-end of the spectrum often have an underlying fear of either heights, or closed spaces, or vertigo, or simply, even vomiting, that makes roller coasters scary to them.

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