Five Common Triggers of Migraine Attacks and How to Manage Them

For most sufferers, migraines can be a nightmare. Although they seem to appear out of nowhere, there are usually signs that a migraine is about to attack you. Such signs can disclose a pattern in your symptoms and even offer preventative measures to manage migraines. There are different triggers for migraines and knowing these will help you prevent a migraine attack. If you are frequently experiencing migraines, you will want to know what causes a migraine to determine the right treatment. By determining the triggers, you will be able to effectively manage your migraine and avoid attacks in the future.

Below are some of the most common triggers of migraines and how to manage them:

Irregular Sleeping Schedules

Sleep renews and repairs every part of your body including your brain. That is why you can experience migraines when you have irregular sleeping patterns. If your migraine is associated with your sleeping habits, making some changes can help you manage your migraine. Work toward going to bed at the same time every night and getting at 7-8 hours of sleep.

Stress

A lot of people suffer from migraine because of stress. Your migraine can get worse when you stress yourself out and worry about future migraine attacks. To cope with your stress-related migraine, create a list of known causes of your stress and tension and reduce such triggers in your life. Usually, you can manage stress through relaxation therapy, biofeedback, exercise, meditation, and adequate sleep. Avoid the triggers by focusing more on the positive things in your life.

Alcohol and Caffeine

In most people, migraine symptoms are associated with caffeine or alcohol consumption. If these substances have been your migraine triggers, try to limit and know your limits in terms of alcohol and caffeine consumption.

Hormones

Compared to men, women are more prone to migraine attacks than men. Migraine attacks are quite common during the menstrual period. Apart from making diet and lifestyle changes, women can consider some birth control methods to stabilize their hormone levels and prevent future migraine attacks.

Weather Changes

Weather-related triggers such as excessive heat, storms, and barometric pressure changes can result in a migraine attack. Heat and high humidity can result in dehydration which is another migraine trigger. Although you cannot control the weather, you can manage your weather-related migraine attacks by avoiding exposure to your trigger. Try to manage your time and take care of your errands before it gets too hot or too cold.