Solving Motion Sickness with Sound! How the Brain Gets Tricked

Hello everyone, this is 8ushio8.
Have you ever felt sick from the swaying of a car or boat?
In this article, I will explain the causes of motion sickness in an easy-to-understand way, and even introduce a method to ease motion sickness just by listening to a certain sound for one minute. With a small trick, your travels and daily life might become much more comfortable!

Please be sure to read until the end.

Why does motion sickness occur?

Motion sickness occurs when the brain becomes confused.
When the senses of the eyes, ears, and body are out of sync, the brain generates discomfort. What is interesting here is
the mechanism behind it.

Our bodies maintain balance using three senses.

• The semicircular canals in the ears sense the swaying,

• the eyes capture the movement of the surroundings,

• the muscles and joints convey the body's position.

Usually, these are in good harmony.

However, by reading a book in a car or staring intently at a mobile phone or game, the information from the eyes and ears becomes misaligned.
The eyes see things that are stationary while the ears feel the swaying. This misalignment confuses the brain and causes
nausea and dizziness.

Research shows that this "sensory misalignment" is the key to motion sickness (Japan Society of Otorhinolaryngology, "Motion Sickness").

Have you ever had this experience?
When you are tired or stressed, motion sickness tends to get worse. That is where
a method to regulate brain function comes in handy.

Is it true that sound can reduce motion sickness?

That is where we found a method to ease motion sickness with a one-minute sound.
Research at Nagoya University has revealed that a 100Hz sound can calm motion sickness. I will
introduce the key points.

In the study, subjects were made to listen to a 100Hz sound for one minute, and then tested for motion sickness.

• As a result, nausea and lethargy were significantly reduced.

• The subjects also replied that they felt more at ease.

The key point is how sound affects the brain and ears.
Low-frequency sounds stabilize your sense of balance, easing confusion in the brain.
Research has shown that just listening to the sound before boarding is effective (Nagoya University 'A unique sound alleviates motion sickness')).

With this simple method, your travels might become more comfortable.
Aren't you curious?
I'll tell you how to try it next.

What kind of sound is effective?

A 100Hz sound is particularly effective, but there is a simple trick to trying it.
Let's look at how to choose the sound and how to use it,
and easily incorporate it into your daily life.

A 100Hz pure tone can be easily found online.

• Search for '100Hz pure tone' on YouTube, or

• try a sound generator tool.

• Volume at about the level of a normal conversation (65.9dBa) is effective.

The usage is simple.
Listen to the sound for one minute 30 minutes before getting into a car or on a boat.
Research shows that this preparation is the secret to effectively suppressing motion sickness.
With a smartphone and earphones, you can do it anywhere.

However, there are things to be careful about.

• If the sound is too loud, it will put a strain on your ears.

• Do not use it while driving, and prioritize safety.

From now on, traveling by vehicle should become much more comfortable.

Does sound also reduce stress?

Furthermore, sound also helps calm stress.
Low-frequency sounds and natural sounds soothe the brain.
The reasons and methods are here.

Research has shown that low-frequency sounds reduce stress and promote relaxation (Harvard University, "Low-frequency sound and stress reductionLow-frequency sound and stress reduction").
100Hz sounds create gentle waves in the brain, easing irritation while traveling.
It's amazing that it has this effect.

Natural sounds, such as waves or birdsong, are also effective.
Other studies have found that these sounds calm the mind and improve concentration (University of Tokyo, "Effects of natural sounds on mental healthEffects of natural sounds on mental health").

If you keep a playlist of these sounds on your smartphone, you can try them whenever you feel irritated, stressed, or want to relax.
With this small trick, please feel how stress is eased.
I hope it adds a little bit of comfort to your life.

Summary

Motion sickness can be a small, daily annoyance.
But what if one minute of sound could ease that trouble and even calm your stress?
In this article, I talked about such discoveries and simple methods you can try.

Why not give it a try and make your travels and daily life more comfortable?
I hope this knowledge helps your daily comfort.
Thank you for reading.

Information Sources

• Nagoya University: "A unique sound alleviates motion sickness" Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, March 25, 2025
  Link

• Japan Society of Otorhinolaryngology: "Motion Sickness"
  Link

• Harvard University: "Low-frequency sound and stress reduction" Journal of Neuroscience, 2023
  Link

• University of Tokyo: "Effects of natural sounds on mental health" Scientific Reports, 2024
  Link