Don’t Let Migraines Ruin Your Day
f you have a powerful headache accompanied by symptoms of nausea, sensitivity to light, and/or vomiting, then you could be experiencing a migraine headache. While some migraines may only last for a few hours, some can last for several days or even longer.
Migraines can come seemingly out of nowhere, and it is easy to let them ruin your day. The pain can make it impossible to focus on anything, and sometimes it is all you can do to just get out of bed. The next time you have a migraine, don’t let it ruin your day. Follow our tips, and take back control of your life.
Find Your Triggers
There are many things that are thought to trigger the onset of migraine headaches, including:
- Foods. Scientists believe that certain foods and drinks are responsible for up to 30% of migraines. These foods and drinks include alcohol, aged cheese, and certain food additives. It is recommended to keep a food diary, so that you can determine which foods might trigger your migraines.
- Stress. Being stressed out does not just affect your mood, it also affects the chemicals in your body. Some of these chemicals that are released by your brain can cause changes to your blood vessels, which leads to migraine.
- Changes in Weather. You may notice that you get migraines more often during certain weather. This is because changes in barometric pressure, storm fronts, and even strong winds can lead to migraine.
- Caffeine. Your blood vessels get used to caffeine, so when you have too much or too little caffeine in your body, then you can get a headache or migraine. On the flip side, sometimes caffeine can be used to treat acute migraine attacks.
- Fatigue. Fatigue, or feeling very tired, can lead to migraines.
- Changes to Your Sleep. If you get too much or too little sleep, you could get a migraine. Even changes to your sleep schedule could lead to a migraine.
While you cannot control the weather, it is important to know your triggers. This way you can make changes according to the triggers you can control, such as how much sleep you get or what food you eat.
Exercise
Not only is regular physical exercise important to your overall health, but it can also help you reduce the frequency of migraines. Find a sport or other form of physical activity you enjoy, and try to do it on a regular basis, at least a few times a week.
Darkness
Are you especially sensitive to light? When you have a migraine, try to make your room as dark as possible. If you do have to go somewhere, then try to wear sunglasses.
Medication
While sometimes people will choose to take an Advil or Aspirin when they have a headache, sometimes it is just not enough. Getting a medication with sumatriptan can help alleviate your migraine.