Nausea usually responds well to a combination of simple techniques you can start immediately: controlled breathing, cold air, sipping fluids, and ginger. The right approach depends on what’s causing your nausea, how long it’s lasted, and whether you’re able to keep fluids down. Here’s what actually works, starting with what you can do right now.
Fastest Relief: Breathing and Scent Tricks
When nausea hits hard, slow, deep breathing through your nose is one of the quickest ways to calm the signals your brain is sending to your stomach. Breathe in slowly for a count of four, hold briefly, then exhale for a count of four. This activates the part of your nervous system responsible for rest and digestion, which directly counteracts the urge to vomit.
Sniffing rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) from a cotton pad or swab is a surprisingly effective trick used in emergency rooms. In a hospital quality improvement project at one ED, 88% of patients who inhaled an alcohol swab reported improvement in their nausea, with over half reporting “great” or “good” improvement. Hold the pad a few inches from your nose and take slow, deliberate sniffs. The effect tends to kick in within minutes.
Peppermint oil works on a similar principle. While clinical studies haven’t found it statistically superior to a placebo for post-surgical nausea, many patients rate it favorably and report less discomfort. If you have peppermint essential oil on hand, place a drop on a tissue and breathe it in. Cool, fresh air from an open window or a fan pointed at your face helps too.
Ginger: The Best-Studied Natural Remedy
Ginger contains compounds called gingerols and shogaols that appear to calm the digestive tract and reduce the brain’s nausea signaling. It’s the most studied natural option for nausea, and the evidence is strongest for doses up to 1 gram per day taken for at least three to four days. At that dose, one systematic review found significantly less acute vomiting compared to a placebo.
You don’t need a supplement to get this benefit. A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger steeped in hot water makes a strong tea. Ginger chews, ginger candies, and capsules all work, though you’ll want to check the label to know how much actual ginger you’re getting. Ginger ale is less reliable because many brands use artificial flavoring rather than real ginger root, and the carbonation can make some people feel worse.
Acupressure on the Inner Wrist
Pressing firmly on a point called P6 (or Neiguan) on your inner wrist can reduce mild nausea, including morning sickness. To find it, place three fingers flat across your inner wrist, starting just below the crease where your hand meets your arm. The point sits in the groove between the two large tendons that run down the center of your wrist, right below where your three fingers end. Press firmly with your thumb for one to two minutes. It should feel like deep pressure, not pain. Anti-nausea wristbands (like Sea-Bands) work by applying constant pressure to this same spot.
What to Eat and Drink When You’re Nauseous
If you’re actively vomiting, don’t force food. Focus entirely on fluids. Take small sips of water or suck on ice chips. Broth, popsicles, diluted fruit juice (half water, half juice), and weak decaffeinated tea are all good choices. If you’re showing signs of dehydration (dark urine, dry mouth, dizziness when standing), an oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte is a better option than sports drinks, which don’t have the right balance of sugar and sodium for proper rehydration.
Once you can tolerate liquids, bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the classic “BRAT” approach) are gentle on the stomach. But there’s no research showing these four foods are uniquely beneficial. Any bland, low-fat food you can keep down is fine: plain crackers, boiled potatoes, a small portion of chicken breast. Eat in small amounts. Greasy, spicy, and heavily seasoned foods are the main things to avoid until the nausea passes.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Several types of OTC medications target nausea through different pathways, so the best choice depends on the cause.
- Antihistamines (dimenhydrinate, meclizine, diphenhydramine): These are the go-to for motion sickness and inner-ear-related dizziness. They block the signals between your balance system and the brain’s vomiting center. The tradeoff is drowsiness, which can be significant.
- Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol): Best for nausea tied to an upset stomach, mild food poisoning, or traveler’s diarrhea. It coats the stomach lining and reduces inflammation in the digestive tract.
- Antacids: If your nausea comes with heartburn or acid reflux, an antacid that neutralizes stomach acid may be all you need.
For motion sickness specifically, timing matters. These medications work best when taken before nausea starts. If you know you get carsick or seasick, take dimenhydrinate at least 30 minutes before travel. Prescription scopolamine patches, which your doctor can prescribe for longer trips, need to be applied at least four hours before you’ll need them and can stay on for up to three days.
Morning Sickness During Pregnancy
Nausea during pregnancy affects up to 80% of pregnant people, most often in the first trimester. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is typically the first recommendation. It’s available over the counter and is considered safe in pregnancy. A combination of vitamin B6 and the antihistamine doxylamine is available as a prescription delayed-release tablet specifically approved for pregnancy nausea. The dosing starts low (two tablets at bedtime) and can be gradually increased over several days based on how well symptoms are controlled, up to a maximum of four tablets spread throughout the day.
The non-medication strategies covered above, particularly ginger, acupressure wristbands, and eating small frequent meals, are often tried first or used alongside B6. Keeping crackers by the bed and eating a few before getting up in the morning helps many people, since an empty stomach tends to make morning sickness worse.
Warning Signs That Need Medical Attention
Most nausea resolves on its own or with the strategies above. But certain symptoms alongside nausea signal something more serious. Call emergency services if nausea comes with chest pain, severe abdominal cramping, confusion, blurred vision, or a high fever with a stiff neck. Vomit that contains blood, looks like coffee grounds, or is bright green also warrants an immediate call.
Get to urgent care or an emergency room if you can’t keep any fluids down for more than 12 hours, you’re showing signs of dehydration (excessive thirst, very dark urine, dizziness when standing, weakness), or you have a severe headache unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Persistent, unexplained nausea lasting more than a few days also deserves a medical evaluation, even if the symptoms feel manageable.