New podcast episode: Can exercises help combat seasickness? – with specialist Dr Kristina Rechenbach
Leonie Meyer
· 24.07.2026
Sailing is synonymous with freedom, the open sea and adventure. And yet there is hardly anything that can put such an abrupt stop to this longing as seasickness. Anyone who has experienced it knows that it is not just a matter of a bit of nausea. In the worst-case scenario, it can completely incapacitate a person – right in the middle of a situation where concentration and the ability to act are crucial.
A remedy for seasickness?
In the 82nd episode, host Timm Kruse explores precisely this phenomenon. The guest is Kristina Rechenbach, a specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery and a passionate sailor. She knows the problem from her own experience. She explains that she used to be unable to spend even three seconds below deck without feeling sick. Today, she can say that she has found a solution that works for her.
At first, the idea that this is possible sounds almost too good to be true. Kristina Rechenbach explains clearly why our brains become confused when we’re on board, what role our eyes, sense of balance and body awareness play, and why seasickness often has more to do with stress and subconscious patterns than many people realise.
The eyes send signals to the brain that contradict those from the vestibular system and the sense of depth. According to Rechenbach, it is precisely this contradiction that throws the nervous system into conflict. The idea that one should ‘simply pull oneself together’ at such a moment is of little help, because the nervous system does not merely follow the mind, but rather deeply ingrained patterns.
A seminar designed to help combat seasickness
These tips aren’t about the usual household remedies or the latest pill recommendation. Instead, the focus is on an approach that tackles the root causes. Kristina Rechenbach works with a method designed to help the body cope better with conflicting sensory impressions at sea. She completed her trainer training at Thomas Bickhardt has done so and now passes on her knowledge herself in seminars.
Using her personal ‘toolbox’, the sailor describes specific situations on board and explains exercises, discusses early warning signs and addresses the question of why some people get seasick before the boat has even set sail. Together with Timm Kruse, Kristina Rechenbach dispels myths and preconceptions, explains warning signs, offers tips for skippers and shows how crews and newcomers can be better prepared.
You can listen to YACHT’s sailing podcast with Kristina Rechenbach here
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More on the subject of seasickness:
Leonie Meyer
Editor News & Panorama
