What causes motion sickness, and why doesn’t everyone get it?
Fluid in the canals of the inner ear sloshes around when you’re in motion, causing the tiny hair cells to send contradictory nerve impulses to the brain. If you are reading or looking at the inside of the car, your eyes signal to your brain that you are not moving, whereas the inner ear tells it that you are. The disorientation can make you feel nauseous. Switching your vision between close and distant objects can help to prevent this feeling, which is why drivers are less often travel-sick than their passengers. Young people are more susceptible because as you get older, or become a more seasoned traveler, the inner ear becomes less sensitive.
