9 Lifestyle Changes to Help Prevent Migraines And Headaches
Suffering from either migraine headaches or tension headaches on a regular basis, you’re certainly not alone. The American Migraine Foundation estimates that more than 36 million Americans get them, women 3 times more often than men.
Most people start having migraine headaches between ages 10 and 40. But many women find that their migraines improve or disappear after age 50. They generally last between 4 and 72 hours.
Make these changes to your lifestyle, and you’ll be able to manage those head pain better.
What Causes Migraine Headaches?
Neurologist believe that these head throbbing pain has a genetic cause, family history. There are also a number of factors that can be a cause of migraine. These factors vary from person to person, and they include:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Lack of sleep
- Tobacco
- Caffeine or caffeine withdrawal
- Skipped meals
- Hormonal changes in women
- Flashing lights
- Loud noises
- Too much or not enough sleep
- Too much physical activity
But you can help your pain relief with these tweaks to your lifestyle:
Get More Exercise
Admittedly, some people get a migraine attack after physical activity. But curiously, this is more common for people who don’t usually work out in the first place.
When you do make workouts a regular part of your schedule, you may find yourself suffering fewer migraines as a result. It’s not a coincidence that regularly working out is a great way to manage stress, and workouts also help you feel better about yourself. Workouts also contribute to better sleep at the end of the day, and that’s another way for you to counteract the threat of migraines.
Manage Your Stress Better
It’s well-known that migraines are often triggered by stress. So logically, if you’re able to manage your stress better you’re better able to get your migraines under control. So practice any of the more popular stress management techniques.
You can practice yoga. Yoga has long been recognized as an effective way to manage stress.
You can also get regular massages. Stress can tighten up your muscles, but when the massage loosens up those muscles your stress can be relieved as well. A weekly massage can do wonders, especially when you tend to have stressful days at the office.
These practices can really relax you, and you may suffer fewer migraines as a result.
Get More Sleep
Actually, it’s more accurate to say that you need high-quality sleep. That means you need enough hours, and you should be able to sleep without alcohol in your veins. Drinking to get sleepy may get you to sleep more easily, but the quality of your sleep suffers.
It’s best if you get into the habit of doing the same things at night to prepare your mind and body for sleep. Perhaps when you’re ready to sleep, you can change into your sleepwear, brush your teeth, put on some mellow music with a timer, and dim the lights. Doing the same ritual at the same time each night gets your mind and body to slow down and relax to prepare for sleep.
Focus on the Good Stuff
When you’re suffering from migraine symptoms, it’s very easy to have those symptoms occupy all of your attention. But you can manage the problem better when you try to focus on more positive aspects in your life. Maybe you can count all your blessings, or perhaps you can imagine doing all the fun things you like to do.
Some people even try doing charitable works on a regular basis. When the migraines come, focusing on the good they’ve done for other people can somehow lessen the severity of the migraines.
It’s long been known that positive thinking has a beneficial effect on one’s health. So think positive, focus on the good things in life and you may find that your migraine situation can improve as a result.
Drink Enough Water
Quite a number of people get migraines whenever they forget to drink enough water in a day. Water is obviously important for everyone, but for those who suffer from migraines, they’re especially important. So if you suffer from migraines, try not to go 2 hours without drinking water.
One study found that when people prone to migraines added 1.5 liters of water (about 6 cups) to their usual daily water intake, they suffer fewer migraines. The migraines they suffer are also less painful.
Check for Food Triggers
It’s very possible that a particular food is actually triggering your migraines. You can check this out by having a food and migraine diary. When you notice that your migraines tend to come after a particular dish or food ingredient with your meal, you may want to try avoiding that particular food for a while. You may find that you can go on for longer periods of time without a migraine, simply by avoiding a particular food item.
It’s also important that you get on a regular meal schedule to help you with your stress as well. It’s best if you can eat at the same time every time. Breakfast is important too.
Monitor Your Caffeine Intake
Plenty of people identify caffeine as a major trigger for their migraines. So if you can eliminate coffee from your regular routine, this can help you manage your migraine situation better.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Lots of people love their coffee. But you can at least minimize your coffee intake. If you just love the taste of coffee, you may even want to switch to decaf.
Drink Less Alcohol
If you think about it, it makes sense that for some people alcohol is a major trigger for migraines. After all, they can cause hangovers. Alcohol also causes dehydration, and we now know that drinking more water can help with migraines.
So drink less frequently, and limit your intake when you do drink. You save up on your drinking expenses, you minimize the chances that you’ll do something foolish in public when you’re drunk, and you may find that you’re less likely to suffer fewer migraines than before.
Get a Great Doctor
While your family doctor may be good and sympathetic, they may not be able to give you effective measures on what to do to help you deal with your migraines more effectively. What you need is a doctor who specializes in treating these medical condition who know how to treat your migraine pain.
A migraine expert can really help because they can assist you in finding out your particular migraine triggers in order for you to avoid them. They’re also more versed in the latest treatment options for severe headache, and they can identify which treatment will work best for your particular case. Normally, any over the counter ibuprofen is good for common migraine or a common headache or any headache type; but check with your physician first.
For more resource, head on over to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH).
Also, check these 9 Superfoods to Help You Eat Healthy On a Budget
Founder, Editor-In-Chief // A native Angeleno. John studied engineering at UCLA; founded Schmoozd, an offline social tech networking event in LA with 30,000 subs; ran a startup accelerator (StartEngine). Worked for several major brands like Toyota, DIRECTV, Hitachi, ICANN, and Raytheon. A mentor at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Entrepreneur School, Dr. David Choi. And advises a dozen local LA startups building amazing tech in various industries; and invested in some. // Let's Connect: john@lastartups.com
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