The fastest ways to settle nausea involve slowing your breathing, applying pressure to a specific point on your wrist, and sipping small amounts of liquid. Most episodes of nausea resolve on their own, but the right combination of techniques can shorten the misery considerably. Here’s what actually works, starting with what you can do right now without leaving the couch.
Slow Your Breathing First
When nausea hits, your body’s fight-or-flight system is often running high, which makes the queasy feeling worse. Deep, slow breathing activates the opposite branch of your nervous system, the one responsible for calming your gut and heart rate. Breathing with your diaphragm (so your belly expands, not just your chest) pulls blood back toward your heart and triggers stretch receptors that dial down your body’s stress response.
Aim for 6 to 10 breaths per minute. Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting your stomach push out, then take even longer on the exhale. Lingering on the exhale is the key part: it’s what activates the calming response most strongly. Many people notice their nausea easing within a few minutes of focused breathing, and it costs nothing to try while you reach for other remedies.
Press the P6 Point on Your Wrist
There’s a pressure point on the inside of your wrist called P6 (or Neiguan) that has been studied for mild nausea and morning sickness. To find it, place three fingers flat across the inside of your opposite wrist, just below the crease where your hand meets your arm. Right below those three fingers, between the two large tendons running down your wrist, press firmly with your thumb. It should feel like solid pressure but not pain. Hold for one to two minutes, then switch wrists. This is the same mechanism behind anti-nausea wristbands sold at pharmacies.
Sip, Don’t Gulp
Dehydration makes nausea worse, but drinking too much at once can trigger vomiting. The trick is to take very small sips on a schedule. Start with about a tablespoon of liquid (roughly 30 mL for an adult) every 5 to 10 minutes. If that stays down, gradually increase the amount. Even if you vomit some of it, your body absorbs most of what you took in.
Room-temperature or cool water works fine. If you’ve been vomiting, an oral rehydration solution or a drink with some electrolytes helps replace what you’ve lost. Avoid carbonated drinks on a very irritated stomach, and sip slowly rather than using a straw, which can introduce extra air.
Try Ginger
Ginger is one of the most studied natural remedies for nausea, and it works through a specific mechanism: its active compounds (gingerols and shogaols) block serotonin receptors in the gut that trigger the vomiting reflex. These are the same receptors that prescription anti-nausea drugs target, just less potently.
Clinical trials have used ginger in doses ranging from 250 mg to 2 g per day, split into three or four smaller doses. Interestingly, 1 g per day appears to work just as well as 2 g. You can get this from ginger capsules, ginger tea made with real ginger root, or even ginger chews. The FDA considers ginger generally safe, though large amounts can cause heartburn or mild stomach irritation, which is counterproductive when you’re already nauseous. Start with a small dose and see how your stomach responds.
Inhale Peppermint
Smelling peppermint oil can take the edge off nausea quickly. You don’t need a diffuser. Put a drop of peppermint essential oil on a tissue or cotton ball and hold it a few inches from your nose, breathing normally. Some cancer treatment centers use this approach for patients experiencing nausea during chemotherapy, with studies showing meaningful reductions in symptoms for some people. Results are mixed across studies, but inhaling peppermint is low-risk and works fast when it does help. If you don’t have peppermint oil, even fresh peppermint leaves or peppermint tea held close to your face can work.
Eat Bland, Small, and Often
You may have heard of the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) for an upset stomach. It’s no longer recommended as a strict protocol because it lacks important nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and fiber. Following it for more than a day or two can actually slow your recovery. That said, the principle behind it still holds: bland, soft foods are easier on your stomach than rich or spicy ones.
When you feel ready to eat, go with small portions spread throughout the day rather than three large meals. Chew slowly and thoroughly. Good options include plain crackers, broth, boiled potatoes, plain chicken, or oatmeal. As soon as you can tolerate it, start adding more nutritious foods back in. Your body needs fuel to recover, and keeping yourself underfed extends the miserable phase. One practical rule: don’t eat within two hours of lying down, since a horizontal position makes it harder for your stomach to empty normally.
Over-the-Counter Options
If home remedies aren’t enough, two types of OTC medications cover the most common causes of nausea:
- Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) works by coating and protecting your stomach lining. It’s best suited for nausea from stomach bugs, food-related upset, or general digestive irritation.
- Dimenhydrinate (the active ingredient in Dramamine) is an antihistamine that dulls your inner ear’s ability to sense motion and blocks the signals that trigger the vomiting center in your brain. It’s designed for motion sickness and works best when taken before the nausea starts.
Both can cause drowsiness. Bismuth subsalicylate shouldn’t be combined with aspirin or given to children recovering from viral illnesses. If your nausea is from motion sickness, dimenhydrinate is the better pick. If it’s from something you ate or a stomach bug, bismuth subsalicylate is more targeted.
When Nausea Signals Something Serious
Most nausea passes within a few hours to a day. But certain symptoms alongside nausea point to something that needs immediate medical attention. Get to an emergency room if your nausea comes with any of the following:
- Chest pain
- Severe abdominal pain or cramping
- Blurred vision or confusion
- High fever with a stiff neck
- Vomit that looks or smells like fecal matter
- Rectal bleeding
These combinations can indicate conditions ranging from bowel obstruction to meningitis to a heart attack, all of which require fast treatment. Nausea that persists for more than 48 hours without improvement, or that keeps you from holding down any liquids at all, also warrants a call to your doctor.