How to Avoid Vomiting

Whether the feeling of a hangover in your stomach is due to exercise, overeating, or even an illness, you will be very uncomfortable with nausea. When feeling nauseous, try the tips and advice below to ease your symptoms. If you experience frequent nausea and vomiting, adjusting your diet and making changes to your daily routine can help you avoid future stomach problems. To treat severe or persistent symptoms, ask your doctor about anti-nausea medications.

Table of Contents

Instant nausea relief

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Sit and try to relax if you feel nauseous. Nausea gets worse with movement, so take a few minutes to just sit still. You may find it difficult, but try to think about something else instead of just the nausea, it will make you more comfortable and less likely to vomit. ^{[1] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to Source}

Sit back and relax

Sit up straight in a comfortable position. Avoid lying down, especially after eating.

Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth. This can help ease stress and feelings of motion sickness.

Don’t think about nausea. Picture a peaceful scene, such as your childhood peace, or imagine sitting in a picturesque field on a beautiful spring day.

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Drink a cup of hot water or a soothing tea like chamomile tea. Heat a cup of water, or if possible, make a cup of hot tea and take slow sips. Chamomile has been used since ancient times to relieve nausea and other health problems. It calms the digestive system, reduces stomach acid, and can reduce anxiety or stress. ^{[2] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

Choose caffeine-free herbal chamomile tea. Caffeine can make the stomach upset even more uncomfortable.

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Open a window or go outside for some fresh air. If the weather permits and you can get outside, try sitting outside on the patio or in the yard. You can also sit near an open window if you can’t get out. ^{[3] X Trusted Source MedlinePlus Go to Source}

Fresh air can help, but be aware that hot, humid weather or strong sunlight can make things worse.

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Take an antacid or anti-nausea medication. An over-the-counter pill can help with nausea, and you can even take one before starting an activity that could cause nausea. ^{[4] X Research Sources} . With persistent nausea, your doctor may prescribe an anti-nausea medication. Remember to take your medication as prescribed by your doctor or the directions on the label.

What medicine should I try?

Medications such as Pepto-Bismp and Kaopectate containing bismuth salicylate can help stabilize the stomach immediately.

Take dramamine 30-60 minutes before starting an activity that could cause nausea or motion sickness, such as riding a roller coaster or sitting in a car on a twisty road.

Avoid taking more than one anti-nausea medication at once, and never take more than the recommended dose.

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Try ginger to calm your stomach. Sip ginger tea, chew or suck on natural ginger candies to soothe your stomach. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Science Direct Go to the Source} Ginger contains substances that aid digestion and reduce nausea. ^{[6] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to Source}

You can peel and slice a piece of ginger about 5 cm, boil the slices with 240 ml of water to make ginger tea. Strain out the ginger slices, or if you prefer, you can chew the ginger once it’s cooled.
Low-sugar ginger ale may also help reduce stomach upset ^{[7] X Research Source} . However, remember to avoid caffeinated beverages. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Adjust your diet

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Choose foods that are frugal and light on the stomach. You probably don’t want to eat or drink when you’re nauseous, but a little bland food can help absorb stomach acid and calm your stomach. If nothing else, you should avoid foods that are too sweet, too spicy, and high in fat, which can trigger nausea. ^{[12] X Trusted Source American Cancer Society Go to Source}

Soothe your stomach with bland and gentle foods like:

Cookies (like Saltine Cake)
Banana
Rice
Apple
Toasted bread

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Drink water with meals to aid digestion. You can help your body dilute the acidic digestive juices and absorb nutrients by drinking 1 glass of water 1-2 hours before eating. Then, sip some water while eating if you still feel nauseous. This creates gentle bowel movements and helps relieve nausea caused by constipation. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Eat cold or cold foods. Wait for food to cool a bit or choose fresh vegetables instead of hot foods when you feel nauseous. Hot foods often have an odor that makes nausea worse or causes vomiting if you have a sensitive stomach. ^{[14] X Trusted Source American Cancer Society Go to Source}

Low-tasting foods like crackers can help you feel better than foods with strong flavors.

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Test for allergies and food intolerances. Ask your doctor about allergy testing if you notice certain foods that often make you nauseous. A skin reaction test can help identify food allergies that are likely to cause nausea. ^{[15] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Usually, an allergist will conduct a skin prick test to determine your sensitivities to different foods. It’s best to avoid using antihistamines before your test for the most accurate results.
Your doctor may also recommend an elimination diet to see if you are sensitive to any food groups, such as gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, and corn.

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Switch to a low-fiber diet before starting activities that can cause nausea. Choose foods that are low in fiber, such as cereals or refined juices, if you notice that your nausea is worse with exercise. ^{[16] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the Source} These foods are easier to digest and move out of the stomach faster.

Most people will experience less nausea when the stomach is empty or have little food instead of eating full.
For example, if you’re prone to vomiting while running, try switching to a protein shake instead of a regular burger. Liquid food for lunch will digest faster and cause less nausea.

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Drink the recommended amount of fluids each day to stay hydrated. Water and other healthy fluids help with digestion, which can help keep you from vomiting. Staying hydrated is especially important when you’re vomiting a lot or are nauseous. Dehydration can increase the feeling of nausea, and conversely, vomiting will cause the body to lose more water.

Drink fluids to avoid vomiting

If you’re a man, you need to drink 3.7 liters of fluid per day.
If you are female, drink 2.7 liters per day. ^{[17] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Avoid drinking sports drinks and electrolyte drinks regularly. The high sugar content can cause nausea in some people.

Other liquids to drink: ginger ale, mint tea, lemonade, or sucking on ice cubes.

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Choose foods that appeal to you. Eat whatever food is easiest for you to eat while you’re nauseous. Sometimes delicious foods can help ease your stomach. ^{[18] X Cleveland Clinic Trusted Source Go to Source}

For example, a simple treat you enjoy like mashed potatoes can soothe nausea more than a piece of toast that is difficult to swallow that you try to eat just because it is a frugal food.
You should still avoid foods that are too sweet, too spicy, or too high in fat, which can cause stomach upset.

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Eat a few crackers before getting out of bed to relieve morning sickness. Keep a pack of cookies on your nightstand if you often feel nauseous when you wake up. A small snack in the stomach before getting out of bed will help raise blood sugar and prevent nausea. ^{[19] X Research Source}

This is a great tip for pregnant women with morning sickness or patients undergoing chemotherapy.

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Sit upright for about an hour after a meal. Allow food to settle by sitting upright and allowing gravity to aid in digestion after eating. Avoid intense exercise or lie down immediately after eating, as these can cause nausea. ^{[20] X Trusted Source American Cancer Society Go to Source}

If you’re already nauseous and feel better lying down, try lying on your left side to help increase blood circulation instead of lying on your right side. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Create a habit to help stabilize your stomach

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Reduce stress levels with meditation. Practice meditation to reduce adrenaline levels and stress, two factors that can cause nausea and vomiting. Get into a comfortable sitting or lying position, close your eyes, and just focus on your breath for 10 minutes. Try not to let anxious thoughts creep into your mind and relax the tension points in your body.

Try guided meditation apps, such as Relax By Andrew Johnson, if you’re just starting to meditate.

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Avoid using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before exercise. If you take NSAIDs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, you should take them after instead of before exercising. These drugs can trigger nausea if you take them before vigorous exercise because they cause stomach upset.

This is especially true if you participate in endurance sports, such as cross country or triathlon.

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Occasionally stopping to rest when riding long distances. To stabilize the stomach by stopping once every hour if you often feel nauseous while riding. Stopping looking at the moving scene and putting your feet on the ground steady for 5 minutes can help ease your nausea and get you back to normal. ^{[22] X Research Source}

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Warm up and relax after exercise. Spend 15 minutes doing lighter exercises before and after the main exercise to help your stomach acclimate to the movement of your body. You may feel nauseous or vomit if you jump into a workout or stop exercising suddenly.

Walking and jumping rope are suitable exercises for the body to get used to at the beginning and end of a workout.

Use of drugs and alternative therapies

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Talk to your doctor about prescription anti-nausea medications. Ask your doctor about Odansetron, Promethazine, and other anti-nausea medicines to see if it helps. Whether the cause of your nausea is chemotherapy or morning sickness, many of the drugs above can help you feel less nauseous and return to your normal activities. ^{[23] X Trusted Source American Cancer Society Go to Source}

Always tell your doctor about any medications and supplements you are taking so they can tailor your treatment regimen to you. Do not take more than one anti-nausea medicine at the same time, as this can cause serious side effects.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding so your doctor can weigh the benefits and risks of taking a prescription anti-nausea medication.

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Use Dramamine for occasional motion sickness. Take 1 over-the-counter anti-nausea pill, such as Dramamine, about half an hour before departure. Adults and children over 12 years of age can take Dramamine every four to six hours as needed to relieve motion sickness after a bout of nausea occurs. ^{[24] X Trusted Source FamilyDoctor.org Go to Source}

Ask your pediatrician if Dramamine is safe for your child if he or she is less than 12 years old.

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Wear an anti motion sickness acupressure bracelet on your wrist. Stimulating the P6 (inner organ) point – believed to help relieve nausea – by wearing acupressure bracelets, such as the Sea Bands. This type of bracelet has no side effects and can be safely worn all day if it works for you. ^{[25] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

You can also stimulate this point when not wearing the bracelet by pressing on the inside of the wrist, about 2 knuckles below the wrist crease.

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Take probiotics. Probiotic supplements can help with nausea and vomiting ^{[26] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source} . Probiotics are effective by restoring the microflora in the intestinal tract. There are many types of probiotics available at the pharmacy, and each may be formulated to help with specific problems. Take a probiotic supplement as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor. ^{[27] X Research Source}

Advice

Call your doctor if you have nausea that doesn’t go away after a day and isn’t keeping fluid in your stomach. Your doctor can help you find ways to combat nausea and make up for lost fluids. ^{[28] X Research Sources}
If you see blood in the vomit, get medical attention right away. Blood in vomit is a sign of a serious problem!

Steps

Instant nausea relief

Adjust your diet

Create a habit to help stabilize your stomach

Use of drugs and alternative therapies

Advice

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