Migraine headaches are difficult to predict. As many as 37 million people suffer from migraines and there isn’t just one solution to them. There are many different causes, such as imbalances in brain chemicals, changes in the brainstem, or triggers such as hormones, food, or stress.
It is important that you have a doctor or medical professional help you to develop a treatment to lessen the pain caused by these headaches. Visit our clinic at Dynamic Health to receive a complimentary consultation to find what would best work for you. Until then, there are also some methods to focus on when trying to prevent migraine headaches.
5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Prevent Migraines
Sleep Habits
Try to head to bed and get up around the same time, even on weekends and holidays. Not doing this can mean that you get too much or too little sleep at times, either of which could trigger a headache. Migraines may be caused by any minor or drastic changes to your sleep schedule such as a change in your work shifts or jet lag.
Eat Regular Meals
Drops in blood sugar and dehydration can set off a migraine. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is caused by a lack of nutrients. Make sure that you are maintaining steady food and water intake to avoid this. Eating small frequent meals is the recommendation to control your blood sugar. Remember to eat fresh fruits and vegetables with these meals. If hypo- or hyperglycemia seem to be a recurring issue with you, please consult with a doctor.
Limit Stress
Stress and tension are common triggers for headaches and migraines. Try not to get overly involved in stressful activities, including work. Your doctor will advise you to take time for yourself and relax using methods such as meditating, doing yoga or taking walks. Deep breathing can also relieve stress and help you to avoid causing a migraine.
Regulate Caffeine Intake
Caffeine can sometimes help individuals with migraines, but it can also hurt them. Keeping an eye on the amount of caffeine that you eat or drink can help you identify whether it is helpful or hurtful for your case.
If your caffeine intake is rather high, you may need to cut back a little bit at a time. Suddenly eliminating caffeine in your diet can cause withdrawal, so we recommend weaning yourself off of it.
Keep a Migraine Diary
One method for finding out the causes for your own migraines is to keep a journal that identifies the situations leading up to a migraine. It can also allow you to keep track of what methods you used to treat your migraine.
Please visit our clinic for more tips on migraine management. Or contact us if you have any questions. Schedule your consultation with our doctors so that we can get you on the pathway to management.