Doctors agree: Making changes to your lifestyle can reduce the prevalence of migraines. Many Americans live stress-filled lives with poor diets, bad sleep and other factors that may be making them ill. Any of these factors can trigger a headache or migraine, and making changes in your lifestyle can help.
Easy Lifestyle Changes You Can Make
FOCUS ON NATURAL SUGAR AND DIETARY FIBER
Low blood sugar can cause migraines no matter what your age, background or state of health. To keep blood sugar levels stable, avoid processed sugar – it can cause a spike and crash in blood sugar levels. Also look out for common food additives like MSG when you are grocery shopping. Shop the outside aisles of the store first to load up on fresh produce, lean meats and fish and dairy. Never shop hungry – it can makes those processed foods loaded with sugar look even more tempting than usual!
MITIGATE STRESS
Many people suffer migraines in stressful situations. The COVID-19 pandemic and other world events in 2020 took a toll on many people in the United States and around the world. People living in large cities like Houston and Miami were especially impacted by being sequestered in small homes without yards or condos. Take a look at your life and see what stress factors you could change. Do you have a long commute in Houston traffic? Is there a project around the house that’s weighing on your mind? Decluttering your home and workspace can help alleviate stress.
IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP PATTERNS
Houston doctors agree that regular, restful sleep is a great way to protect yourself against migraines. If you notice that you sleep poorly during the week or “sleep in” on weekends, try improving the quality of your sleep. Make sure your room is cool enough, and turn off devices or enable a blue-light filter to help your mind quiet so you can rest. Eliminate sources of noise and light, especially if you’re near a major Houston highway.
EXERCISE AND LOSE WEIGHT
People who are overweight are more likely to suffer high blood pressure, which can make headaches and migraines worse. Even if you’re at a healthy weight, it’s a good idea to exercise to improve blood circulation. Try using your own body weight for resistance with activities like walking on an incline treadmill or climbing stairs. Since Houston is very flat, a gym membership can help you get more vigorous exercise on those kinds of machines.
GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR MIGRAINES
Although there are some things that commonly cause migraines, most sufferers have their own unique triggers. Try filling out a “migraine diary” for at least a few weeks so you get a better understanding of what brings on migraines for you.
DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE LASTING RELIEF? SEE THE HEADACHE SPECIALISTS HOUSTON TRUSTS
Ultimately, the best way to completely eliminate migraines is to find and treat the root cause of the problem. There may be many reasons why migraines appear, and so, it’s not possible to fully control the issue with lifestyle changes alone.
At the Houston Headache Institute, we use the latest diagnostic technology to find the real cause of migraines, whether in the head, spine or elsewhere in the body. Then we perform customized treatment to alleviate pain and reduce migraine episodes.
For headache and migraine specialists you can rely on in Houston, Texas, visit us today.
