Many risk factors associated with migraine can be addressed with lifestyle modifications, including sleep hygiene, diet and exercise.
Maintain a diary to track when migraines strike, what caused them, and any treatments that provided relief. CBT may help manage stress as one common trigger; and staying hydrated is also key as dehydration may increase migraine symptoms.
Avoid Caffeine
Some individuals find caffeine to be a trigger, making its total avoidance an almost impossible feat given that so many products contain it (decaffeinated coffee, soft drinks, migraine medications). If you decide to reduce caffeine intake gradually and gradually over time – starting slow and gradually tapering can take up to one week until withdrawal symptoms subside completely.
Some migraine sufferers find that certain foods, like cheese and nuts, contain chemicals called amines which, if eaten excessively, can trigger migraine symptoms and cause attacks of headache pain.
Lifestyle changes may help prevent migraines and reduce their frequency, including regular exercise, a balanced diet and getting enough restful sleep. Yoga, Tai Chi and Meditation may be effective stress reduction techniques. A headache diary is another useful way of tracking potential triggers and monitoring treatment efficacy.
Avoid Bright Lights
Headaches can often be caused by bright lights and glare, compounding their pain. Luckily, there are ways to block out light and other sources that might trigger your headaches.
An effective way to identify your triggers is keeping a migraine diary. Record everything from food and drinks you consume to day’s activities and symptoms; this may help identify patterns such as red wine consumption, caffeine withdrawal or missing meals that aggravate migraine attacks.
Sleep and exercise should also be prioritized to reduce headache risk as well as manage health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. Furthermore, exercise can relieve stress. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation or autogenic training; both involve tensing and relaxing different muscle groups to calm both body and mind at home.
Avoid Stress
Stressful situations can trigger migraine attacks in certain individuals, and making sure to get enough restful sleep, utilize relaxation techniques, and eat regularly are all critical steps towards mitigating its effects.
Keep a migraine diary to help identify what triggers your migraines and to uncover patterns. Record the date, time, activity at the time and length of the attacks as well as food consumed during attacks to better pinpoint patterns. Also include information such as trigger foods that were present as well as any medications taken to alleviate attacks if applicable.
Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic training can be effective ways of relieving mind and body stress. Ask your doctor or mental health specialist about finding a therapist to teach these methods. Exercise and healthy diet are also great ways to reduce stress levels; aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night and do not skip meals!
Avoid Food Triggers
Migraine triggers can range from the weather, food, beverages, stress or hormonal fluctuations such as those experienced during menstruation. It is crucial that migraine sufferers identify their individual triggers in order to understand how best to avoid them.
Keep a headache diary to document all of the aspects that may contribute to each attack and identify patterns over time. Over time, patterns should emerge.
Foods such as aged cheese and alcohol can trigger migraines for some people. Fatty foods, such as sausage and bacon can also act as triggers. Yeast found in bread or dough production and tyramine (an amino acid), can also play a part in migraine triggering reactions.
To determine whether something is a migraine trigger, eliminate it from your diet for several weeks and reintroduce it to see if it in fact triggers migraines. If it does so, continue avoiding it as far as possible.
