Nausea usually responds well to a combination of simple strategies: sipping fluids, eating bland foods, trying ginger or peppermint, and using over-the-counter medications when needed. The best approach depends on what’s causing your nausea, how long it’s lasted, and how severe it is. Here’s what actually works, from the simplest fixes to stronger options.
Ginger: The Best-Studied Natural Remedy
Ginger is one of the most reliable natural options for nausea, with decades of clinical evidence behind it. A large trial of 744 cancer patients found that 0.5 to 1.0 grams of ginger per day significantly reduced the severity of nausea. That’s roughly a quarter-teaspoon to half-teaspoon of ground ginger, or a thumb-sized piece of fresh root.
You can get ginger through capsules, ginger chews, freshly grated ginger steeped in hot water, or flat ginger ale (though most commercial ginger ales contain very little actual ginger). Capsules give you the most control over dosage. More isn’t necessarily better here: doses above 1.0 gram didn’t show additional benefit in that trial, and too much ginger on an empty stomach can cause heartburn.
Peppermint Inhalation
Breathing in peppermint essential oil is a surprisingly effective tool. The active compounds, menthol and menthone, relax the smooth muscles lining your digestive tract and block signals in the gut that trigger the nausea reflex. Clinical trials have found it reduces nausea after surgery, during pregnancy, and during chemotherapy, with improvements showing up within hours and continuing over several days of use.
The simplest method is putting a drop or two of peppermint oil on a cotton ball and holding it near your nose, or using a personal inhaler stick. Peppermint tea works too, though the concentration of active compounds is lower. This is a good option when you’re too nauseated to swallow anything.
Acupressure at the P6 Point
There’s a pressure point on the inside of your wrist, about two finger-widths below where your hand meets your arm, centered between the two tendons you can feel when you flex your wrist. Pressing firmly on this spot, known as P6, has been shown to reduce nausea and vomiting with results comparable to anti-nausea medications in some studies. A large review found it reduced nausea by about 29% and vomiting by 30% compared to sham treatment.
You can press the point with your thumb for a few minutes at a time, or buy inexpensive wristbands (often marketed as “sea bands”) that apply constant pressure. Side effects are essentially nonexistent, making this a good first-line option for anyone, including pregnant women and children.
What to Eat and Drink
When you’re nauseated, staying hydrated matters more than eating. Take small, frequent sips of water, clear broth, or an oral rehydration solution rather than trying to drink a full glass at once. Commercial rehydration drinks are preferable to homemade sugar-salt mixtures, which can be mixed incorrectly and make things worse. These products contain a balanced ratio of glucose, sodium, and potassium designed to help your body absorb fluid efficiently.
For food, the old BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is fine for a day or two, but there’s no research showing it works better than other bland foods. Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and unsweetened dry cereal are equally gentle on your stomach. The key is choosing foods that are low in fat, mildly flavored, and easy to digest. Once the worst passes, start adding more nutritious options like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, skinless chicken, fish, and eggs. Your body needs protein and nutrients to recover, and staying on a restrictive diet longer than necessary slows that process down.
A few practical habits help too: eat smaller portions more frequently instead of full meals, avoid lying flat right after eating, and stay away from strong smells, greasy food, and very sweet drinks until the nausea passes.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) is a solid choice for nausea tied to an upset stomach, indigestion, or mild food-borne illness. It works by coating the stomach lining, reducing inflammation, and slowing down overactive gut contractions. It’s less useful for motion sickness or nausea caused by medications.
For motion sickness, dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) and meclizine (Bonine) are the most common over-the-counter options. Both are antihistamines that work by dampening signals in the part of the brain that processes motion. They’re most effective when taken before you start feeling sick, ideally 30 minutes to an hour before travel. Drowsiness is the main side effect. Meclizine tends to cause less drowsiness than dimenhydrinate.
Prescription Options for Severe Nausea
When over-the-counter options aren’t enough, doctors have several stronger tools. The most commonly prescribed anti-nausea medication works by blocking a specific chemical messenger in the brain that triggers vomiting. It’s widely used after surgery, during chemotherapy, and for severe stomach illnesses. It causes relatively few side effects for most people, mainly headache and constipation.
For motion sickness that doesn’t respond to oral medications, a prescription patch placed behind the ear releases a steady dose of medication through the skin for up to three days. It needs to be applied at least four hours before you need it to work. Common side effects include dry mouth, drowsiness, and dizziness. The FDA issued a safety warning in June 2025 about a risk of dangerously elevated body temperature with this patch, so it’s worth discussing with your doctor, especially if you’ll be in hot environments.
Older prescription anti-nausea medications in the antihistamine family are still used, particularly after surgery and for motion sickness. These tend to cause significant drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation. They’re generally avoided in older adults and children under two due to more serious risks.
Quick Fixes Worth Trying First
Before reaching for anything in your medicine cabinet, a few simple actions can take the edge off mild nausea. Cool, fresh air helps. Sitting upright or slightly reclined (not lying flat) takes pressure off your stomach. Slow, deep breathing through your nose activates the body’s calming response and can reduce nausea intensity within minutes. Loosening tight clothing around your waist removes pressure on your abdomen. And sometimes, sucking on ice chips when plain water feels like too much is enough to keep you hydrated without overwhelming your stomach.
Cold foods are generally better tolerated than hot ones when you’re nauseated, partly because they have less aroma. Strong smells are one of the most common nausea triggers, so keeping your environment well-ventilated and avoiding cooking odors can make a real difference.