Migraine is a very painful type of headache that is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Reducing your stress levels is another way to prevent migraines because when we are stressed, our brain releases the hormone Adrenaline that triggers the release of other hormones that cause us to feel anxious. The more stressed we are, the more our anxiety level rises.
Migraine headaches happen when the blood vessels in your brain dilate and then contract causing pain on one side of your head. When you have a migraine, it’s important to try to find some relief from your stress levels which is why ice packs are a very common way to reduce the pain of migraine as they can take the edge off of a migraine.
1. Learn to recognize a migraine headache, and understand its triggers
Migraine headaches are a common form of headache with a variety of triggers. The pain can be severe, throbbing, and usually on one side of the head. It can last from hours to days and may recur many times per week.
Migraine pain is caused when blood vessels on the surface of the brain become inflamed. This inflammation may occur as a result of stress, hormones, or changes in the weather. It is not well-known what causes these changes in blood vessels but it is known that there are some factors that make people more prone to migraines such as being female, being over age 50, or having family members who have had them previously.
The best way to prevent migraines is by identifying their triggers and working around them. Some common triggers include sleeping late.
2. Schedule regular sleep patterns and get adequate rest
If you are finding yourself waking up in the middle of the night, or if you are constantly feeling tired, it is likely that you are suffering from occasional migraine attacks. Here, it is important to get adequate rest so that your body will be able to heal and your migraines will stop getting worse.
A recent study found that people who slept less than 7 hours a night were almost 3 times as likely to have migraine symptoms. That’s because there has been a connection found between sleep deprivation and headaches.
If you want to reduce your risk of migraine pain and get enough sleep, set a schedule for when you should go to bed and wake up every day. This way you’ll know how much sleep you need and be able to stick with it better.
3. Stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids for better elimination of toxins
The human body is made up of about 70% water and it requires a certain amount of fluid intake every day.
The following guidelines can be helpful for migraine prevention:
- Consume 8 or more glasses of water per day.
- Drink fluids that are unsweetened, caffeine-free, and not carbonated.
- Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages in the hours before bedtime.
- Reduce the amount of salt you consume because salt increases fluid retention in your body.
- Eat fruits rich in potassium (bananas, oranges, and apricots) to avoid dehydration.
- Try to maintain a consistent eating schedule because skipped meals can lead to inadequate hydration levels and, as a result, increase the risk of migraines.
4. Eat healthy food with less sugar, salt, caffeine, and processed foods
Some people are more sensitive to food than others, which can lead to migraines. Processed food and sugar in particular can often be a big trigger for migraines. Cutting back on these foods can reduce the risk of a migraine coming on.
Eating healthy is one of the best ways to avoid getting migraine headaches. Processed food and sugar in particular often trigger migraines, so cutting back on those foods helps reduce the risk of a headache coming on.
5. Drink more water (especially when you perform strenuous activities)
Drinking water is good for maintaining our body hydrated and preventing migraine attacks.
When we are dehydrated, the brain’s blood vessels constrict to conserve water. This causes a drop in blood pressure which can lead to migraines.
It has been proven that migraine sufferers often have a low amount of water in their systems, and there is a relationship between headaches and dehydration that is yet unknown.
However, when people drink plenty of fluids throughout the day they may notice an improvement in their condition.
6. Reduce your stress levels, take time-outs from work or home
There are a lot of reasons that can cause migraine headaches, and one of them is stress. Stress can build up over time and it is important to keep it under control.
When we are stressed, our brain releases a hormone called Adrenaline that triggers the release of other hormones that cause us to feel anxious. The more stressed we are, the more our anxiety level rises.
Migraine headaches happen when the blood vessels in your brain dilate and then contract causing pain on one side of your head. When you have a migraine, it’s important to try to find some relief from your stress levels
7. Use ice packs to reduce the pain to prevent migraine
Ice packs are a very common way to reduce the pain of migraine. It is not a cure, but it will take the edge off for many people. It is not recommended for anyone to use ice packs more than 20 minutes at a time because it may do more harm than good.
It could be hard to find an ice pack that will be big enough for you, so don’t worry if you need to use multiple ice packs in one go.
Use an ice pack or frozen bag of peas and wrap them in a towel before placing them on your head or neck. Don’t put them directly on your skin because this could cause frostbite or bring about cold burns if left on too long.
8. Take medications prescribed by a doctor
When other methods don’t help, it is time to ask for help from your doctor or pharmacist. Many people try to save money at this point, but over-the-counter medications aren’t always the cure.
Although some medicines are available without a prescription, they don’t all work for everyone. It’s best to ask your doctor or pharmacist about what might be most effective. Note that painkillers may cause you to suffer from rebound headaches if taken too often, so consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking medication.
9. Massage the soft area just under the cheekbone on both sides of the face
You can get rid of a migraine by pressing down three fingers with firm pressure just below the cheekbones, at the point where they meet in front of the ears. You should press for about five minutes without stopping.
By pressing down on this soft spot, you are applying pressure to the carotid artery which will help ease the headache. It has been claimed that migraine headaches can be caused by an extra-sensitive area on your neck where blood vessels meet, and this is the best way to relieve it. You should see results within five minutes.
10. Get rid of the smell in your bedroom
Some people claim that they suffer from frequent migraine attacks because of an unusual smell in their bedrooms. If you think this is the case for you, it may be time to consider getting rid of unpleasant smells in your house or apartment.
You can get rid of bad odors by using citrus fruit or placing a bowl of vinegar on your window sill. It’s also worth trying to find the source of the smell as it is often one of those things you haven’t noticed, such as an object that is slightly damp.
However, if you have a smoke, pets, or any other kind of smell in your bedroom you will need to make some changes. You should start by getting rid of any dirty clothes in your room, and then try putting bowls of vinegar around the place to stop the bad smells.
11. Drink warm milk with a teaspoon of honey mixed in
Milk is often recommended as a solution for migraines because it can provide you with Vitamin B2 which not only has anti-inflammatory properties but can also stop migraines before they even start.
The best way to drink warm milk is by adding a teaspoon of honey and drinking it slowly. If you suffer from nausea, you could try mixing in some ginger. This may help to reduce your symptoms because the active ingredient gingerols that occur naturally in ginger relax the muscles in your digestive tract.
12. Take a hot bath or shower
You can’t go wrong with using warm water to reduce your migraine symptoms, but taking a hot bath or shower is often not considered to be the best solution for relief. It is important therefore that you don’t raise the temperature too much or spend too long in the shower, as this can cause your body to react in a very negative way.
You should spend about ten minutes taking a shower and try not to completely strip because you will get cold if you do so. Try gradually increasing the temperature of the water until you start to feel relief from the pressure and pain caused by headaches.
Conclusion:
I hope these tips help, even if they are just some of the many ways you can relieve a migraine. The most important thing to remember is that, contrary to popular belief, migraines aren’t actually linked to tummy troubles. They are caused by blood vessel dilation in the brain and so it’s worth taking some time off work or school if this happens to you because doing something as trivial as bending over your desk can send you straight back to square one.
Hopefully, these tips will help and, if nothing else, I’m sure the odd citrus fruit in your bedroom or a bowl of vinegar on your window sill will do no harm!
Thank you for reading and good luck with any migraines that happen to plague you in the future!