I live with migraine with aura, so I know how this goes. You can be hydrated, fed, emotionally stable, and feeling pretty darn good about life, then one stupid little thing flips a switch and your day gets repossessed by your nervous system.
Migraine triggers vary person to person, but the usual suspects are familiar. The CDC reports that in 2018, 20.1% of women and 10.6% of men had a severe headache or migraine in the prior three months.
These are the pettiest things that can trigger a migraine:
1. The fluorescent lighting boss fight
Bright or flashing lights can trigger migraines for some people, which means the “well-lit” aisle at Target can turn a fun shopping moment into a very uncomfortable experience.
2. The perfume cloud from a stranger who “just did one spritz”
Strong smells can easily set off a migraine, including perfume and smoke. The cruel part is you don’t get to opt out of someone else’s scent choices.
3. Weather that changes its mind for no reason
Sudden weather changes can trigger migraines, which is great news for anyone living anywhere right now. We’ve had heat waves, snowstorms, and ice freezes all in the same month here in the U.S.
4. Skipping a meal because life got busy
Skipping meals is absolutely a documented trigger. Your brain doesn’t care that you had “meetings” and “errands.”
5. Sleep that’s too short or too long
Missing sleep can cause a migraine. Oversleeping can also cause a migraine. So, do with that what you will.
6. Stress that isn’t “major” but still counts
Stress and anxiety show up on every official list for a reason. Even the low-grade kind can prime your system until one more tiny irritation tips it over.
7. Caffeine roulette
Caffeine can be a trigger, and so can caffeine withdrawal. Your “normal” amount can work for months and then suddenly betray you.
8 Hormones doing what hormones do
Hormones are another one of those things that can mess with literally everything in your body. It’s the least fun subscription service imaginable, and it renews monthly.
To sum it all up…life, in general, can trigger a migraine, unfortunately. The goal is spotting your patterns so you don’t get blindsided by a scented candle display and a fluorescent light fixture on the same day.
The post 8 Surprisingly Simple Things That Can Trigger a Migraine (and How to Avoid Them) appeared first on VICE.
