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Under the Weather
This popular phrase for "ill" dates back to 1827. It is commonly believed
that bad weather can make you sick.
A site visitor gave his/her opinion about this idiom:
I believe that "under the weather" is an old sailor phrase.
When men were sick, they would rest below deck and thus were literally
"under" the weather on deck
Another site visitor gave his/her opinion about this idiom:
Moreover, the deck they were under was likely "the weather deck", meaning the most exposed deck on the ship, usually the foredeck (over the seamen's quarters at the front end of the ship) or the quarterdeck
(where the helm was located, high for a good view). Either way, if you needed to be sick, you wouldn't want to "toss your cookies" where the wind could toss them back in your face, nor would anyone with you want you to do so. You'd be firmly told to "under the weather" to be sick.
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