Many individuals living with migraine can find relief through various home remedies and lifestyle adjustments. Before undertaking any new remedies on your own, be sure to discuss it with your physician first.
Maintaining a headache diary will allow both you and your healthcare provider to better understand what triggers migraine attacks, while exercise helps relieve tension and may prevent an attack from occurring.
1. Avoid triggers
Triggers of migraine headaches vary for each person with migraine; such as sudden temperature changes and certain foods or food additives like aged cheeses and chocolate; alcohol, caffeine and medicines used to treat migraine are just some of the things that can set off migraine attacks in some individuals. Hormonal changes that happen during menstruation cycles or pregnancy could also trigger some cases.
By keeping a diary and tracking when migraine attacks arise, it may help you pinpoint and avoid possible triggers. For instance, if your migraine flares when missing meals or drinking coffee in the morning, changes could be implemented into your routine to alleviate that cause of headaches.
2. Stay hydrated
Dehydration doesn’t cause migraines directly for everyone, but it may serve as a trigger. To quickly identify any related triggers, drink plenty of water each day and keep track of it with an easy-to-use headache diary.
Target 2 liters of water each day, taking into account increased exertion levels. Keep in mind that you could lose fluid through vomiting or diarrhea during an attack of migraine.
Buoy, a sugar-free and low-sodium electrolyte solution with magnesium that’s been designed specifically to address POTS and dysautonomia symptoms, comes in several formulations such as Hydration, Immunity, Energy (containing 30 mg of caffeine), Digestive Support or Digestion Formula and can be found at stores such as supermarkets across the US. The Hydration formula claims to be twice as effective at hydrating as water alone! Available at many stores.
3. Get plenty of sleep
Many people with migraine experience poor sleep, awakening in the middle of the night with headaches or other symptoms. To ensure adequate restful restful slumber it’s important to learn strategies which can help combat this and ensure you get enough shut eye.
Your options for improving sleep can range from:
Utilizing cold or hot packs on the neck or head may help alleviate pain and relax tense muscles, while taking a warm bath or shower could also provide comfort. Furthermore, limiting screen time in the evening (particularly blue light-emitting displays) could help your body establish its sleep cycle more quickly.
Keep a diary to help identify migraine triggers. Take note of when and what triggered each migraine attack as well as whether any food or drinks (including caffeine) seem to exacerbate symptoms.
4. Exercise
Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, our bodies’ natural painkillers. Exercise also improves posture and tension reduction – both can be migraine triggers. Exercise may take the form of walking or jogging; we suggest starting slowly and increasing intensity over time.
Staying hydrated during and after exercise requires staying hydrated with plenty of water, or isotonic drinks with similar electrolytes to those produced in your body, such as sports beverages. Drinking such fluids will help make up for sweat lost through physical exertion.
5. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol may trigger migraine in various ways; one could be related to its chemicals or cause dehydration; it’s also possible that those suffering from migraine have increased sensitivity to certain organic components in alcoholic drinks which act as migraine triggers.
As it can be challenging to avoid all triggers of migraine attacks, it’s essential that as many are avoided as possible. A headache diary can be invaluable in helping identify what triggers them. Record your sleep, eating and alcohol consumption habits; by following these tips you may reduce risk for alcohol-induced migraines; but those suffering chronically should try their best to stay away from alcohol entirely.
