As I sit here looking at my computer screen, I realize that I am not seeing the letters clearly, I think maybe I need new glasses. It’s been a couple years, yes it is time. Then I remember that this has occurred before and the computer screen is one of my migraine triggers. I should probably get off the computer.
As an at-home web developer, I am on my computer all day so when things are difficult to read, I know I need to take a break to avoid getting a migraine that can take me off-line for days. The lighting on my screen is a trigger for me. My work load is high right now, so that would not be a good thing. It’s better to take the rest of the day off and restart tomorrow well rested without having to deal with a headache that makes you put your head under a blanket because light and sound are almost impossible to bear.
For triggers that can set off a migraine, see below. Some I didn’t know but at this moment a few of these are apparent, lacking sleep, overly tired and so busy with work that I have forgotten to eat and probably haven’t had enough water. This is a terrible pattern I know but when a client has malware on their website and Google blacklists it, you may need to stay up all night to fix it. Not that I did that, no not at all!
I didn’t realize that exercise could trigger a migraine, good reason to not go to the gym, ever, lol. The last one looked like “Certain Smiles” so I think it’s time to turn off the computer and hope to avoid this headache. Bye for now. Things may be clearer tomorrow.
Common Migraine Triggers
- Stress
- Menstrual periods
- Changes in your normal sleep pattern
- Extreme fatigue
- Certain foods and drinks
- Too much caffeine or withdrawal from it
- Skipping meals or fasting
- Dehydration
- Changes in the weather
- Exercise
- Smoking
- Bright, flickering lights
- Certain smells
How to Avoid Migraine Triggers
- Eat regular meals and don’t skip any.
- Reduce caffeine. Doing so too fast can cause a migraine in some people so slowly decrease it.
- Get enough sleep and set up a good sleeping pattern.
- Decrease your stress levels and spend more time with people you care about. Meditate or pray more and exercise, unless it is one of your triggers.
- Drink more water!
- Give up smoking. Again do so slowly.
When it comes to women’s health issues, dentifying your triggers is the first step. Writing down the foods you ate and what you were doing when your migraine began can be an important factor in avoiding them. Asking yourself questions like, have I gotten enough sleep, have I been stressed and so on. WebMD has some good suggestions to help treat migraines and is a good read.
