Summer Migranes

It's hot out there. There's no denying the misery, the sweat, the exhaustion, the sticky goo we are all awash in these humid, scorching days. It feels like an oven to everyone, but for those of us with migraines, the pain goes way beyond the heat. Hot summer weather can trigger migraines for those disposed to getting them in the first place. The American Headache Society reports that weather is a trigger for about 50% of migraine sufferers. That's a very sad finding if you ask me. You can avoid other triggers in your life, change your eating habits, change your stress level, take care of your sleep and avoid chemicals you are sensitive to, but who can avoid the weather?

Of course when we are talking about changes in the weather, that goes for all changes - from hot to cold and vice versa, from rainy to dry, barometric changes, etc... In fact, some researchers believe that change in and of itself is a major trigger for all migraines. It could be weather related change, stress related, sleep or hormonal or otherwise, but all these changes can trigger migraines in the ultra-sensitive brains of migraineurs.

Summer in particular brings its own challenges. Dehydration is a common migraine trigger, so drinking plenty of water and staying well hydrated is one thing you can do to help the situation. Unfortunately, the exquisitely sensitive nature of the "migraine brain" (a term I am coining as of this writing) makes getting the exact right balance of hydration key. Too much water can also cause a migraine. Go figure. Apparently it is all about upsetting the electrolyte balance in your blood, which can happen when sodium levels are changed through sweating or drinking fluids.

Another change some people experience during summer is a change in stress levels and sleeping habits that go along with summer vacation. This is really only relevant for students, teachers, school administrators or others who see a major downshift in stress levels or workload during the summer. But for those people, the reduced stress can be a bad thing. We all love vacation, but not so much a migraine that might come along with having less stress, sleeping later, sleeping more, or sleeping on a different schedule, as might happen if you vacation in a different time zone. Remember, it's all about the change, so even though less stress should theoretically be better, the fact of going from high stress to low stress can trigger your migraine.

And finally, if you live in a city that has a lot of pollution, that smog level will likely go up during the summer months, which in turn can be a migraine trigger. Other changes to the air quality such as increased pollen counts can cause seasonal allergies that are also migraine triggers.

The answer to all these issues is to come up with a prevention plan that helps you avoid your triggers and allows you to handle them when they are unavoidable. Migraines are horrible, but we are not helpless in the face of them.