When nausea hits, the fastest relief usually comes from slow, controlled breathing through your nose, sipping small amounts of cool liquid, and staying still in an upright or slightly reclined position. Most bouts of nausea pass on their own within a few hours, but there are several things you can do right now to feel better and keep the situation from getting worse.
Slow Your Breathing First
Deep, slow breathing through your diaphragm is one of the quickest ways to calm nausea. Sit or lie down comfortably, place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, and breathe in slowly through your nose so that your belly rises while your chest stays relatively still. Exhale slowly through pursed lips. Aim for about six breaths per minute: roughly five seconds in, five seconds out. This activates your body’s calming nervous system response and can reduce the urge to vomit within minutes.
Press the P6 Point on Your Wrist
There’s a well-studied acupressure point on the inside of your wrist that helps suppress nausea. It sits between the two tendons on the underside of your forearm, about three finger-widths above your wrist crease. Press firmly with your thumb and hold for two to three minutes, then switch wrists. This is the same point targeted by anti-nausea wristbands sold in pharmacies. Clinical trials across dozens of studies have found it effective for post-surgical nausea, motion sickness, and pregnancy-related nausea.
Try a Cold Compress on Your Neck
Placing something cold on the back of your upper neck can noticeably reduce mild to moderate nausea. A study on post-surgical patients found that an ice pack applied to the posterior upper neck was effective enough to be used as a first-line treatment before medication. You can use a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel, a cold wet washcloth, or an ice pack. Hold it against the base of your skull and upper neck for 10 to 15 minutes.
Sip, Don’t Gulp
Drinking too much liquid at once can make nausea worse. Take small sips of cool (not ice-cold) water, clear broth, or flat ginger ale every few minutes. If you’ve already been vomiting and are worried about dehydration, you can make a simple rehydration drink at home: mix four cups of water with half a teaspoon of table salt and two tablespoons of sugar. This mimics the balance of electrolytes your body needs to absorb fluid efficiently. Signs of dehydration to watch for include dark urine, dry mouth, dizziness when standing, and excessive thirst.
Ginger Actually Works
Ginger isn’t just a folk remedy. Clinical trials consistently show it reduces nausea across multiple settings, from pregnancy to chemotherapy to post-surgery recovery. The most commonly recommended dose is about 1,000 mg per day, which translates to roughly one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, two pieces of crystallized ginger (about one square inch each), four cups of prepackaged ginger tea, or two teaspoons of ginger syrup.
A large trial of 576 cancer patients found that even 500 mg of ginger significantly reduced acute nausea, with 500 mg and 1,000 mg doses being the most effective. If you don’t have ginger supplements on hand, steeping a few thin slices of fresh ginger root in hot water for five minutes makes a simple tea that can help within 20 to 30 minutes.
Inhale Peppermint
Peppermint oil inhalation has strong evidence behind it. A pooled analysis of clinical trials found that smelling peppermint oil reduced nausea scores significantly compared to control groups, with the benefits becoming more noticeable after the first couple of hours. You don’t need a diffuser. Put a drop or two of peppermint essential oil on a cotton ball or tissue and hold it a few inches from your nose, breathing normally. If you don’t have essential oil, even a strong peppermint tea held close to your face can help.
What to Eat (and When)
Don’t force yourself to eat while you’re actively nauseous. When the nausea starts fading and you feel ready, you don’t need to follow a restrictive diet. Most experts, including those at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, no longer recommend the old BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) as a specific protocol. Instead, return to your normal diet when you’re ready, starting with whatever bland foods appeal to you: crackers, plain rice, broth, or toast are fine starting points simply because they’re easy on the stomach.
Avoid greasy, spicy, or heavily seasoned food for the first meal or two. Eating smaller portions more frequently tends to work better than sitting down to a full meal. Strong food smells can retrigger nausea, so cold or room-temperature foods are often easier to tolerate than hot dishes.
Over-the-Counter Medications
If home remedies aren’t cutting it, a few pharmacy options can help depending on the cause. For motion sickness, scopolamine patches and meclizine are the go-to choices. Meclizine is also useful for vertigo-related nausea. Diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in Benadryl) has anti-nausea properties but causes significant drowsiness, which makes it better suited for nighttime use. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) works well for nausea related to an upset stomach, mild food reactions, or overeating. Keep in mind that most antihistamine-based nausea medications will make you sleepy.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
- Lying flat on your back. This can increase the risk of choking if you do vomit. Stay upright or lie on your side with your head slightly elevated.
- Brushing your teeth immediately after vomiting. Stomach acid softens tooth enamel. Rinse your mouth with water or a baking soda solution (one teaspoon in a cup of water) and wait at least 30 minutes before brushing.
- Drinking carbonated beverages quickly. The carbonation can expand your stomach and make things worse. If you want ginger ale or a clear soda, let it go flat first.
- Ignoring it and staying active. Movement, especially bending over or walking quickly, tends to worsen nausea. Rest in a comfortable position until it passes.
Red Flags That Need Medical Attention
Most nausea resolves on its own, but certain signs mean you should get to urgent care or an emergency room. Vomit that contains blood, looks like coffee grounds, or is bright green needs immediate evaluation. The same goes for nausea paired with a severe headache you’ve never experienced before, or signs of serious dehydration like dizziness when standing, very dark urine, or extreme weakness.
If vomiting continues for more than two days in adults, more than 24 hours in children under two, or more than 12 hours in infants, call your doctor. Persistent nausea with no vomiting that lasts more than a few days also warrants a visit, as it can signal anything from a medication side effect to a digestive condition worth investigating.