Loud noises, bright light and sensory stimulation are a few triggers of migraine headaches. You can avoid driving at night, late night movie watching, clubs or crowded places where the music is loud can be avoided. You can also avoid looking at the sun directly because the bright rays may be an immediate effect to your cornea, making it hit the migraine spot , hence triggering the headache.

Take breaks when you watch the screen for more than 2 hours. Try to blink at least 20 times per minute to avoid constant staring at the TV or laptop. Make sure you pay close attention to avoid those little eye-ear disturbances. This will majorly help you when you know you are yet to get hit by a mirgraine.

Some foods can initiate headaches, according to certain researches. Foods like processed meat, chocolates, ice-creams, cheese, alcohol, smoke and many such products can prompt a mild headache. You should be aware of the food and which ones brings headache for you and learn to avoid them with caution. Consuming extremely cold foods can also be a cause of headache. This is directly connected to the head sensory. When you consume something very cold, it hits your sensory nerves and cause immediate reflex. So always try to avoid foods that are rich in caffeine and alcohol.

By keeping a diary, you can note the small changes that happen in your health. You need to record the tiny triggers and try to avoid them. Keep a note of what you eat and drink, your exercise and routine, weather conditions that affect your health, your medicines and the different things that can cause you headaches. Be mindful of all of these and make sure you don’t fall prey for any of these. This can help you see a pattern in your migraine occurrences, and will make avoiding one easier.

Hormones play a significant role in terms of migraines. Many women tend to experience more migraine headaches during (or just before) their menstrual period. Women should be especially vigilant with their diet and exercise habits during this time. This will ease symptoms before they begin. According to the Mayo Clinic, oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy may increase the frequency and severity of migraines. Some women may find relief by switching to another form of birth control, while others may find they have fewer migraines while taking birth control.

Changes in the weather can be directly related to your migraine. The two extremes can trigger out the headache. May it be high humidity or rainy days. Both come as a problem to such condition. If the weather is troubling you a lot, you might have to step inside and take a break from the outdoors. Keep yourself warm during the winter season and when it is the summer, try to take a lot of baths and avoid traveling too much.

Having a proper sleep schedule is very important. You need to sleep for at least 7-8 hours and that should be a healthy sleep. Do not be awake for a long time, which will trigger the headache. Oversleeping also sometimes initiates mild pains. You have to be very mindful of both situations.

Although, this might not be in your hand, try to avoid shouting or taking any kind of over stress. This will lead to pain. Migraines are a common result of stressful events. Few relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, and biofeedback can help reduce levels of stress.

Regular exercise falls as an important aspect when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. But remember that intense exercise life weight lifting, push ups etc can aggravate headache. Paying attention to your body’s response is highly important. Opt for activities that promote stress reduction without putting too much strain on the body, such as yoga, light aerobics, or tai chi. Taking anti-inflammatory drugs prior to exercise may help ease symptoms.

Pavithra Ravi