When you do, look out at the horizon. Fixating on a stable object on the horizon and looking out the window will help your body to match the visual cues of motion with the physical cues like the vibrations.  Don’t try to focus on vegetation that is whipping by on the side of the road. It will make you more dizzy. Holding the book up right instead of putting it down in your lap will make it easier to flick your eyes back and forth between the horizon to the book. If you start to feel ill, you may need to look out the window for a few minutes before you can return to reading. You can minimize nausea significantly by closing the eye closest to the nearest window. This serves double purpose: To relieve your brain from processing two visual inputs of your reading material at once, and also to eliminate most of the cues of movement from your field of vision. If you have difficulty keeping it closed, cover it with your hand. Using this technique you might be able to read with no major nuisance. This will help reduce the mismatch between what your body and your eyes are telling your brain. You can do this by:  Sitting in a more stable part of the car. The back seat is generally more rocky than the front, so you may do best if you sit in the passenger side in the front seat. Leaning your head against a pillow or the headrest to keep it as still as you can. Not reading when you leave the highway and start traveling on windy back roads. Your body gets much stronger physical sensations of movement as the car turns and this will make you more prone to nausea. The fresh air blowing over your face as you read will help reduce nausea and prevent you from getting too hot. The fresh air may reinvigorate you. Fully opening the window may make the pages blow around too much, but chances are that even cracking the window a bit will help a lot. Getting anxious will make you more prone to nausea. Instead take a break from reading and focus on relaxing. You can use relaxation techniques such as:   Deep breathing Meditation  Progressively tensing and relaxing each muscle group in your body  Visualizing a calming landscape Listening to music Closing your eyes and taking a brief nap While it is enjoyable to snack on rich, junk foods while reading, getting very full can make you more prone to nausea and vomiting. Foods to avoid are:  Greasy, fatty foods Spicy foods Alcohol These foods are light, easy to digest, and will reduce nausea:  Dry crackers will help absorb some of your stomach acids. Hard candies, particularly mints. But be sure to suck on them instead of chewing them. Carbonated beverages. This will settle your stomach and provide electrolytes. These are cloth bands which are elastic and have a little knob on them. Position them on your wrist so that the knob presses on the inside of your wrist between the two tendons running down the middle of your forearm. Stimulating this acupressure point is thought to prevent nausea.  They should not be so tight that they cause pain or cut off the circulation to your hand. They have not been scientifically demonstrated to be effective, but some people may find that they help. If you start to feel nauseous you will be more sensitive to irritants like smoke. Being exposed to the smoke may make you more likely to vomit. Strong air fresheners may also have this effect.

Summary: Look up from reading every few seconds. Minimize the physical sensations of motion while you read. Open a window. Relax and don’t stress about it if you start feeling ill. Eat lightly before and during travel. Settle your stomach while you read. Wear acupressure bands while you read. Don’t smoke or ride in a car that smells of smoke.


Look for someone who has experience working with clients in your situation. Psychologists tend to concentrate on certain age groups or kinds of issue. Your candidates may have areas of interest listed on their website or wherever they are listed, or you may have to ask.  You may be interested in working with a psychologist who has experience with your age group. Some psychologists specialize in treating queer youth, or the elderly, or families. If you will need your psychologist to perform functions for you outside of individual sessions, such as testifying in court, make sure your psychologist has experience. Find someone who has expertise in custody battles, for instance, if you are about to enter divorce.  If you can't find information on your candidate's website, ask "What sort of experience do you have working with clients who are/who struggle with/who would like to…" At a minimum, a good psychologist will be licensed by the state or jurisdiction they practice in. This is a license that is only renewed for psychologists who demonstrate competence and adherence to professional ethics. Psychologists have doctoral degrees, so you should find a "PhD" noted after the name of any psychologist you are considering. Psychologists charge variable rates, so find one who you can afford to stay with as long as you need. If you have health insurance, your insurance may cover some of the costs of care. If you don't, or if your health insurance won't cover your mental health needs, you may find yourself paying between 100-250 out of pocket for a session. However, there are ways to find a psychologist you can afford: don't give up just because the initial costs seem high.  Many psychologists work on a sliding scale. Explain that your funds are limited, and ask for a low hourly rate. Ask for a cash discount. Some psychologists will give you a discount if you can pay in cash instead of by card or check. Ask your insurer for the list of psychologists in your area who are covered by your insurance, or search for mental health practitioners on your insurance company's website. If your insurance doesn't mention psychologists, ask what they do cover. Some policies may include social workers, for instance. Contact a community mental health center for free or low-cost services.
Summary: Search for a psychologist with the right expertise. Check your candidates' credentials. Consider cost.