Anyone who has ever had a migraine will tell you that the pain is just as bad as the pain of a physical injury. Sometimes, migraines can get so bad they can interfere seriously with your daily life due to nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to the slightest amount of light or sound. Luckily, there is a lot you can do to remedy and avoid migraines so they don’t get in the way of you living your life.
Migraine Triggers
- Stress
- Changes in sleep patterns or irregular sleep
- Hormones
- Caffeine & alcohol
- Medications
- Diet & Dehydration
- and more.
Tips To Help Overcome Migraines
Try a cold pack
The quickest way to feel some relief from a headache is to place a cold pack either on your forehead or behind your neck. Remember to give yourself a break from the cold compress every fifteen minutes.
Dim the lights
Migraines can cause you to be extremely sensitive to light. If you feel a migraine starting, give your mind a break by dimming the lights. If you must go outside, protect yourself with some sunglasses!
Go to a calm environment
Light and sound are two of the worst things to be around when you have a migraine. Find a place where you can get away from loud noises and harsh light so you can try to relax.
Ease pressure on your head
Make sure to relieve your head of any additional pressure. This means remove all ponytails, buns, and hats that may be putting unnecessary pressure on your head.
Try some caffeine
This is a little bit ironic because caffeine can also cause migraines. If you catch your migraine early enough, a little caffeine might be able to help decrease it! It is also believed that caffeine helps medication like Advil or Tylenol work better.
Massage it out
Tension in your neck and shoulders can lead to uncomfortable migraines. Massaging the area can help loosen the muscles and relieve the headache. You don’t need to get a professional massage, just a little shoulder and temple self-therapy to relieve that tension!
Get some sleep
Getting proper sleep is essential to not only help avoiding migraines but living a well-balanced life! The tricky part is that sometimes when you already have a migraine, they are so painful that it makes it difficult to go to sleep.
Manage Stress
The stress trigger is one of the most difficult to mitigate because stress in everyday life is simply unavoidable. Fortunately, there are ways that you can manage your stress by simplifying your life, managing your time, taking much needed breaks, and enjoying the little things in life.
Eat well and exercise regularly
Your eating and exercise habits highly influence whether or not you get migraines. Make sure you are eating whole food meals, staying hydrated, and exercising regularly.
Medication
If your migraine gets to the point where it interferes with your day, consult your doctor about taking medication. If you have constant migraines, or an over the counter medication doesn’t work for you, you may want to consult your doctor for a stronger medication.