Listening to Music May Halve Motion‑Sickness Symptoms, Researchers Say

A study reported this week found that listening to music can substantially reduce symptoms of motion sickness, cutting discomfort such as nausea, dizziness and cold sweats by roughly half, researchers at Southwest University in China said.

"Motion sickness significantly impairs the travel experience for many individuals, and existing pharmacological interventions often carry side‑effects such as drowsiness," Dr. Qizong Yue, one of the authors, said. "Music represents a non‑invasive, low‑cost and personalised intervention strategy."

Motion sickness typically arises from a mismatch between the signals sent to the brain by the inner ear's balance system and those from the eyes and muscles. Symptoms can include queasiness, headache, sweating, dizziness and, in severe cases, vomiting, and they affect a substantial portion of the population during car, boat and air travel.

The researchers said that while pharmacological treatments such as antihistamines and prescription patches can be effective, they are often accompanied by unwanted side effects such as drowsiness, which can impair functioning during or after travel. The study reported that music offers an alternative that is easy to implement, inexpensive and can be tailored to individual preference.

The research team conducted controlled tests in which participants were exposed to motion stimuli while listening to music, and their self‑reported symptoms were compared with those recorded in silence or under other conditions. According to the authors, participants who listened to music reported substantially reduced motion‑related discomfort. The report did not make a single playlist or artist recommendation, and the investigators emphasised the personalised nature of the intervention.

Experts in vestibular disorders and travel medicine welcomed the finding as a potentially useful adjunct to existing strategies, while noting that the precise mechanisms by which music reduces motion‑sickness symptoms remain to be fully established. Possible explanations include distraction from internal discomfort, modulation of emotional state, or effects on breathing and heart rate, the researchers said.

Common non‑pharmacological suggestions for managing motion sickness include fixing the gaze on the horizon, sitting in a stable part of a vehicle, getting fresh air and maintaining steady breathing. The new findings position music as an additional tool that travellers might employ alongside these measures.

The study's authors called for further research to determine which musical characteristics — such as tempo, rhythm or familiarity — are most effective, and to test the intervention in larger and more diverse populations and real‑world travel settings. They also recommended that clinicians consider discussing music as part of a broader, patient‑centred approach to managing motion sickness.

Until more detailed guidance is available, the researchers suggested that travellers who suffer motion sickness might try listening to music they find calming or engaging during journeys as a low‑risk strategy to reduce discomfort.

The findings were reported by the Daily Mail on Sept. 3, 2025, and originate from work led by Dr. Yue and colleagues at Southwest University. The investigators noted that music should be viewed as complementary to, not a replacement for, medical treatments when those are indicated.