Strange Sensation

[iwbus]

Everyone is familiar with the feeling of your stomach 'jumping' when you go over a big bump or the brow of a hill in a car but I also get a different sensation. I have terrible trouble if I'm in a car when I'm tired and it goes down a hill to fast. My body starts to tense up and I have to look down to make myself untense (no I'm not driving!). The amount of tension depends on how tired I am, on a bad day I'll have problems going downhill at about 15mph! Does anybody else have this problem or know ways around it?

[darth vader]

have you tried looking at the horizon whilst it's happening? It sounds similar to air sickness, and staring constantly at the horizon is usually a good way to overcome it.

[iwbus]

If I look down (off the road) I feel okay, if I look at what's going on it gets worse

[Squirrel]

What you are feeling sounds similar to the kind of sensation most people feel when they are on a rollercoaster. It may just be that you are not used to the weightless feeling of accelerating downhill, or you might be more sensitive to it than most people.

If you know the hill is coming and you know you are going to hate it, this alone can be enough to make you tense up. In your position I would attempt to look at the road as normal throughout all the downhill parts of your journey. Know the hill is approaching and, instead of bracing yourself, relax and accept it and don't resort to looking at the floor! It might help to try not even to move a muscle. Also, it is often recommended in times of tension to take some deep breaths.

[RATTER15]

Avoid going down hills or get the driver to reverse down hills, that should be enough confusion to distract you from these symptoms.

[Tha-Flash]

I dont know but some of the ideas above sound good. Try lying down if ur in the back of the car. I just can imagine doing it now, I dont think it would make you have that 'jumping' effect.