I Tested The Reliefband On Boats, Planes & Car Rides

Be it on a boat, airplane, theme park ride, or the back of a speedy cab, unfortunately my ruthless motion sickness does not discriminate. So, it was music to my ears when my honeymoon aligned perfectly with the opportunity to write this Reliefband review—especially considering the trip would involve flying, driving, and a sailboat ride.

The last time I took a Dramamine I absolutely hated the fatigue it brought on, so I knew I needed to find natural nausea remedies. That's when I initially came across Reliefband, a wristband that claims to provide instant relief from nausea without any of the side effects that tend to accompany anti-nausea drugs.

The Reliefband is a wristband that looks similar to a smartwatch. While there are a few models, the method of addressing nausea is the same: You apply a small circle of conductivity gel on the underside of one wrist (about two to three fingers' length away from your palm). Once turned on, you can choose between five intensity settings to send stimulating pulses into your wrist.

The application seemed simple, but the technology puzzled me. So, to understand how these pulses could actually help relieve nausea, I turned to the experts.

First, I wanted to understand the significance of the specific application spot on the underside of my wrist. My acupuncturist, Shobha Manaktala of Shen Men Acupuncture, explains that it's actually an acupressure point called Neiguan1, which translates to "Inner Gate" (also known as Pericardium 6 or P-6).

This point activates the median nerve, which not only helps us move our hands and wrists but carries information through our nervous system and up to our brains.

"As far as whether it's legit, theoretically, vagal afferent fibers play an important role in the development of nausea and vomiting," says Bonney.

Bonney and Manaktala both mention that acupressure (namely pressure on P-6 location where the Reliefband is placed) has been shown to help with these same symptoms.

"The point is located on the forearm, three fingers below the wrist crease between the tendons," explains Manaktala. "Pericardium 6 is a powerful point to relieve nausea and can be needled directly or stimulated through acupressure."

I brought the Reliefband Flex on my honeymoon to Portugal. I first put it on during a bout of turbulence on the plane, then for the entirety of a windy bus ride a few days later—and I experienced no nausea during either event!

The big test, however, was a three-hour dolphin-watching excursion.

Now, I can't say the Reliefband completely prevented seasickness, but I do think it helped considerably. I stuck to the center and back of the boat (any seasickness-struggler knows this is a pro move), kept my Reliefband stimulation on level one, and felt mostly OK for the first hour.

However, as soon as I took a gamble and moved to the bow of the boat, my seasickness amplified. I only lasted about 15 minutes before needing to crank my band up a few notches and return to the back. Once I was settled in the back of the boat, I was a bit wobbly for a minute, but I never actually felt like I was going to be sick (a win, as far as I'm concerned!).

Later in the day I lay down to take a nap and began to feel like I was riding the waves. I popped the Reliefband back on, and it helped me feel grounded again in a matter of minutes.

There were a few times I got lazy and used my Reliefband without the conductivity gel. It did work, but took a bit longer for me to find the sweet spot on my wrist. This in mind, I do think it works better with a bit of the gel applied.

When I first tried the Reliefband, I wasn't comfortable with the feeling. It's not a vibration as much as a prickling electrical sensation. If you've ever used a TENS unit, you'll notice it's a very similar experience.

I quickly grew accustomed to the pulses and even started to like the feel of it. In fact, I found myself ramping up from level one to level three when I wore the wristband for longer periods of time (there are five levels total in the model I tried).

In addition to stimulation of the median nerve (either through pulse or acupressure), Bonney says there are some other natural methods to treat nausea.

Eat ginger: "Ginger is a holistic treatment for mild nausea," explains Bonney. Research shows that ginger is a helpful aid for nausea from a variety of causes, from pregnancy6 to seasickness7.

Temporary BRAT diet: "Eating bland foods8 and crackers when feeling nauseous can also be helpful," says Bonney. Sticking to gentle foods, such as those in the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) can be easier on the tummy when you're feeling nauseated.

Just remember that a bland or BRAT diet is a short-term solution. Restricting your diet to avoid spicy or acidic foods can take a toll on your caloric intake and should not be a long-term approach to nausea.