Front Row

Thanks Sandra! How very nice of to share so much info on you holliday.

12 hours ago, dides said:

 

Yes they took them in Athens at the port just after security and before boarding - first time for us too. 

 

Sandra and Chris

So you had to retrieve them and re-surrender them every time you left the ship?

Thanks for these, we're on her in 13 days!

I got it 35 days before my cruise.

28 on the Triumph

Seasickness is a state of mind and I mean that literally, I suffer from a inner ear dysfunction called “Meniere's disease” basically my inner ear tells me that I’m moving when I’m not, very similar to seasickness, in fact, a Meniere’s “attack” is the exact same thing that happens o the mind and body when one is seasick. So you could say I’m an expert on the subject.

The body has three parts that it uses for balance, the inner ear, the eyes, and muscles and nerves in the lower body. In your normal day to day activities your brain receives these three messages, and using all three, keeps the body balanced.

Here’s what happens when you get seasick; when you are at sea the motion of the ocean affects two of the three parts, your ears and the lower body, these parts feel the movement of the ship. However, your eyes are not detecting this movement; they are looking at the walls of your cabin or hallway, your dinner guests across the table, etc.

Your brain detects these mixed messages, and when it does, the “lizard” part of the brain, (the part of the brain that’s sole purpose is to protect the host) kicks in. Your lizard brain tries to interpret why it’s receiving these mixed messages, it jumps to the conclusion that something you have eaten is the cause, so the brain tries to fix the problem and it tells your stomach to get rid of (throw up) the (assumed) cause, in essence the brain is telling the body to empty the stomach of this “poison” that is causing the mixed messages.

So how do you stop this message to empty the stomach? Simple, get all three of these messengers to send the same signal to the brain, because once the brain detects the same message from the three messengers it no longer thinks it needs to act to protect the host, or in this case empty the stomach.

Now you’re on ship that rocking and rolling, this means that you cannot do anything to control the message from the ears or the lower body, the only choice you have is to control the input from the eyes.

Stand up on deck and stare at the horizon, the horizon is moving the same way the boat is moving; now the three messengers are in synch. The brain will no longer be getting the mixed messages and it will no longer assume you’ve eaten poison and the signals to the stomach to empty itself will stop. And you’ll feel a whole lot better.

Too dark to see the horizon, in an interior cabin and can’t see the horizon? Lay down and close your eyes, now only one message is getting to the brain, the one from your ears, but because you’re off your feet and your eyes are closed you are not getting the mixed messages that effect your lizard brain, and causes seasickness.

Dramamine’s sole purpose is to slow or remove the message from the brain to the stomach, so if you are prone to seasickness by all means use all the tools available that will help.

Finally, knowing what’s going on gives you the best chance of fighting seasickness. Training the brain to understand what’s happening is the only viable permanent solution to seasickness, just like the figure skater who spins at tremendous speeds but doesn’t get dizzy or the lifelong sailor who never get’s seasick, it can be done.

Thanks for taking the time to read this long post, but I hope it helps you enjoy your cruise.