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For many travelers, cruising is the best way to explore our world. You’re on a lovely ship with loads of amenities and can head to multiple exciting ports of call during each sailing. And there’s an incredible extra bonus: You only have to unpack once!
But many avid cruisers have heard about a medical condition that can persist for days, or in rare cases, weeks after getting off the ship. We’re talking about that strange sensation called sea legs. For most, it’s a mild annoyance, but for a few unlucky travelers, it can be downright debilitating. Here’s everything you need to know about the condition called “sea legs” before your next voyage.
What Are Sea Legs?
Simply put, sea legs is the condition some travelers feel after getting off a boat after an extended period of time. You feel as if you’re still on the water, even though you’re back on terra firma. Patients might feel a slight sway as they walk, as if the ground is rolling underneath them. Others might have bouts of dizziness. Doctors say these symptoms likely come from the vestibular system, the mechanism in our inner ears that help control balance and equilibrium. If resetting that system takes a while post-cruise, you could end up with sea legs.
“Vestibular adaptation is the system that regulates balance adapted to the continuous wave motion which increased one’s stability when walking on board, but did not reset when disembarking,” explained Dr. Erik Ensrud, a neurologist at the University of Missouri.
Everyone’s vestibular adaptation kicks in or re-calibrates at different times. This explains why some people are just fine after a sailing, while others might feel a bit like Popeye for a few days.
Tips To Stop The Sway
While there are a few ways to keep that sway at bay, Dr. Ensrud shared a key concept.
“In general, larger boats and less rough seas are less likely to elicit this condition,” he told me. “Smaller range of motion on a larger boat would be expected to result in less vestibular adaptation. Likewise, rougher seas would cause greater continual change in motion, making the syndrome more likely to occur.”
Anecdotally, this checks out, at least with me. Years ago, I was on a lovely Mediterranean cruise that lasted nearly 2 weeks. While the ship had stabilizers, the sea was definitely rough at times. While it wasn’t enough to make me seasick while onboard, it took me several days to regain my land legs and feel normal again. Whereas on river cruises and even aboard a private yacht on the Dalmatian coast, I’ve been just fine. The smaller the swells, the easier it was for my brain and body to readjust to land.
Other tips to consider that might help lessen the effects of sea legs:
- It’s easier said than done, certainly… but try to lay off the booze during and post-cruise. Keep in mind, your inner ear is working overtime during your time on the boat or ship, and some studies have shown alcohol can throw that balancing act off even further. It can also dehydrate you and disrupt your sleep schedule, which could exacerbate the issue.
- Keep moving as much as you can after you disembark. Giving your body doses of that missing motion can help it better reset to land mode. Walking, jogging, and even riding in the car can make a difference.
- Dr. Ensrud also says taking time out for quiet activities could also help lessen the effect of sea legs and its longer-lasting counterpart, Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS), more quickly. “It’s possible that promoting the counteracting system — the parasympathetic system — through activities such as mindfulness or tai chi chuan may help more quickly cease the symptoms of MdDS,” he told me.
- Another thing to keep in mind: Worrying can make it worse! “It’s important to recognize and inform patients this syndrome is not a sign of underlying disease,” said Dr. Ensrud. “This knowledge can reduce the associated anxiety which prolongs symptoms due to over activation of the sympathetic nervous system — this is often involved in prolonging neurological symptoms.”
Read our article about how to stay healthy on a cruise for more tips.
The Difference Between Sea Legs And Something More Serious
In rare circumstances, sea legs can linger. When that happens, doctors call it Mal de Debarquement Syndrome, or MdDS for short. The difference between the two is all about duration.
“Sea legs is generally thought of as a short-lived sensation lasting at most a day or two,” Dr. Ensrud told me. “MdDS can last much longer, and is considered persistent MDDS when lasting for more than three months.”
According to the MdDS Foundation, secondary symptoms of MdDS that can develop over time include fatigue, difficulty maintaining balance, unsteadiness, and difficulty concentrating. The good news is that the median length of duration for the disorder is about 4 months.
A Hormonal Connection?
The MdDS Foundation also notes that while the condition occurs in both genders and in all age groups, the highest reported incidence is in females between the ages of 30–60.
Given that fact, I asked Dr. Ensrud if there was any connection between perimenopause or menopause and sea legs or MdDS. He told me that while an interesting association, it’s far from a causal relationship. But that said:
“However, hormones and hormone shifts have significant effects on the central nervous system and the two could indeed be related — it’s unclear.”
Treatment Options Are Out There
For those suffering longer-term effects of MdDS, the idea of waiting for constant rocking and bobbing to go away on its own simply isn’t palatable. It’s important to note help is available that can help it resolve sooner. A couple of different classes of drugs, including benzodiazepines and SSRIs, have been shown to alleviate symptoms in some patients. Physical therapy, including balance and tracking exercises, can also lessen the duration and severity of MdDS.
Dr. Ensrud’s Own Experience
Dr. Ensrud doesn’t just have clinical or research experience in sea legs/MdDS. He actually had the condition himself back in 1999, so knows how frustrating and scary it can be for patients.
”The sensation was very bizarre,” he said. “It felt whenever walking that the ground was rocking beneath me. Fortunately, as a neurologist, I realized it was a vestibular adaptation and could relent, which it eventually did spontaneously.”
Most Healthy Individuals Do Not Experience Seasickness
To quote Dr. Ensrud: ‘‘Less than 15% of people experience motion sickness and even fewer experience a dizzy feeling once they return to land’’. Although it’s normal to experience a swaying sensation upon returning to solid ground, most people will only feel it for a short time.
Regardless though, this is why we encourage our readers to work with a travel advisor. While they will not be able to provide specific medical advice, they can help advise new cruisers on what to do until they’ve gotten their sea legs.
Some Destinations Are More Likely to Get You Motion Sickness
Being able to shrug off motion sickness quickly is mostly due to most cruise ships sailing calm waters such as the Caribbean. Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and Alaska cruises can have periods of rough seas due to weather or ocean currents.
Also, if you want to have the best chance of avoiding these sensations due to the motion of the ocean, do research before booking to select good cabin locations and avoid older ships as well as smaller cruise ships which are not the best places to be if you have fears of getting sea sickness.
Final Thoughts: For most of us, sea legs are an annoying but harmless after-effect of a fantastic vacation on the water… and you shouldn’t let it keep you from cruising. That said, if symptoms don’t subside after a couple of weeks, Dr. Ensrud recommends checking in with your physician.
To prevent sea legs, focus on the horizon to stabilize your equilibrium. Stay hydrated and avoid heavy meals to reduce motion sickness. Ginger, either in tea or ginger candies, can alleviate nausea. Ventilation and fresh air on deck also help. For severe cases, over-the-counter medications like Dramamine or scopolamine patches can be effective in settling your inner ear and help you walk steadily.
Also, if you know you are prone to the condition, you might want to amend cruise plans to include river voyages (fewer waves) instead of ocean crossings, which can be notoriously rough.
FAQs
What Does It Mean to Have Sea Legs?
To have sea legs is to have the ability to walk steadily and not feel seasick when on board a moving ship. We can move more confidently while the deck pitches and sways as our inner ear and brain adjust to a moving environment on board the boat.
How Long Do Sea Legs Last?
Once back on solid ground, most people get their ‘‘land legs’’ back within a day or two. However, for the rare few with MdDS disorder (Mal de Debarquement Syndrome), this persistent sensation of motion sickness can continue for weeks or even longer.
How to Make Sea Legs Go Away?
After you disembark, keep moving as much as you can. A little bit of fresh air or a light snack may do it for some. However, most people use over-the-counter motion sickness medications like Dramamine or Bonine or seasick patches.
What Is the Origin of the ‘‘Sea Legs’’ Phrase?
The ‘‘sea legs’’phrase’s roots are actual interpretations of seafarers being unable to hold on stably while the vessel constantly rollicked on water. Over the years, this root origination has been modified to a simpler ‘finding sea legs’ idiom.
What If I Can’t Develop Sea Legs?
The failure to develop sea legs can pose significant problems for individuals, at times more serious than motion sickness. Given the importance of maritime activities in people’s lives, it is crucial to take all necessary precautions and care to learn how to get sea legs.
