人為什麼會暈船？
One of the least pleasant things about going to sea is the chance of getting seasick. Some people are much more likely to suffer than others. If you've ever felt sick while traveling by car or plane, or on an amusement park ride, you may also be more likely to get seasick on a boat.
Seasickness is caused by a conflict in the inner ear, which controls our sense of balance. Imagine you are inside the cabin of a rocking boat. Your inner ear feels your body moving up and down and from side to side with the boat. But because the cabin moves with you, your eyes see a scene that seems to be standing still. The brain is confused by these mixed signals and responds by releasing stress hormones, which can lead to nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
Strong smells, such as diesel fumes and fish, can make things worse. Seasickness usually starts in the first 12 to 24 hours after setting sail and fades once the body gets used to the motion of the ship. It's rare for anyone to stay sick for more than the first couple of days, unless the sea gets really rough.
If you do get seasick, take comfort: recovery is only a matter of time, and the survival rate is 100 percent! Here are a few tips to help ease the symptoms:
- Drink plenty of fluids. Seasickness and the medicines used to treat it can cause dehydration and headaches. Drink water, low-acid juices like apple or carrot, or clear soup, and avoid milk and coffee.
- Keep busy. Most people find that staying active takes their mind off feeling sick.
- Stay on deck, even if it's raining. Fresh air often helps you recover faster, while the closed-in space below deck makes the boat's movement feel worse.
- Carry a plastic bag. Knowing you have one can stop you from panicking. If you need to be sick over the side, check the wind first and stay on the side of the ship that is sheltered from it.
- Think about taking motion sickness medicine. It usually works best if you take it about an hour before you set sail.
And don't be embarrassed. Plenty of people get seasick, including experienced travelers, professional fishers, sailors and marine scientists.
出海最讓人難受的事情之一，就是可能會暈船。有些人比別人更容易暈船。如果你坐車、搭飛機或玩遊樂設施時曾經暈過，那麼坐船時也可能比較容易暈。
暈船是內耳裡的「衝突」造成的，而內耳掌管我們的平衡感。想像一下你待在一艘搖搖晃晃的船艙裡：你的內耳感覺到身體隨著船上下起伏、左右搖擺；可是船艙是跟著你一起動的，所以你的眼睛看到的景象好像是靜止的。大腦被這些互相矛盾的訊號搞糊塗了，於是釋放出壓力荷爾蒙，可能導致噁心、嘔吐和頭暈。
柴油味、魚腥味這類強烈的氣味，會讓症狀更嚴重。暈船通常在開船後的 12 到 24 小時內出現，等身體適應了船的晃動就會慢慢消失。除非遇到真正的大風浪，很少有人會暈上兩三天以上。
如果你真的暈船了，也不用太擔心：恢復只是時間問題，而且「存活率」是百分之百！以下幾個小建議可以幫你減輕症狀：
- 多補充水分。暈船和治療暈船的藥都可能造成脫水和頭痛。可以喝水、蘋果汁或胡蘿蔔汁這類酸度低的果汁，或是清湯，避免喝牛奶和咖啡。
- 讓自己忙起來。大多數人發現，找點事做能轉移注意力，比較不會去想難受的感覺。
- 待在甲板上，就算下雨也一樣。新鮮空氣常常能讓你恢復得更快，而甲板下的密閉空間會讓人覺得船晃得更厲害。
- 隨身帶個塑膠袋。知道自己有袋子備用，就不會那麼慌張。如果非得在船邊吐，先看看風向，待在船上背風的那一側。
- 可以考慮吃暈船藥。一般在開船前一個小時左右服用，效果最好。
還有，暈船沒什麼好丟臉的。很多人都會暈船，包括經驗豐富的旅人、職業漁民、水手和海洋科學家。