Keeping Away Holiday Headaches

shutterstock_1562179666

For a non-migraine sufferer the holidays can be a time of year that can definitely make your head pound. Trying to cook meals for our families, dealing with visitors, shopping for presents, there is so much going on. It can be full of stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, putting our exercise on the back burner and the list goes on and on. Now add migraines to that mix and the holiday season can be downright painful!

We don’t want you spending your holidays in pain, we want you to enjoy this time with your family and friends. There are some simple enough things that migraine sufferers can do this holiday season to prevent severe migraine episodes. Here are are best tips:

Make a plan

Need to make a holiday meal or go shopping? Make sure that you are doing it in advance and make lists of what you need to do so you aren’t doing things last minute. We all know that holiday shopping is the absolute worst and those long lines and peak shopping hours are definitely a trigger for migraines and headaches.

Don’t skip Meals

Having an empty stomach can cause a migraine to come on. Traveling around the holidays or visiting family can cause our eating schedules to be off. Try packing snacks with you so that you don’t risk having an empty stomach for too long.  However, stay away from snacks such as ripe cheeses, processed meats, and chocolate, because they can cause headaches in susceptible people.

Limit Drinking Alcohol

If you are prone to migraines, alcohol can often be a trigger. Try alternating alcoholic drinks with glasses of water. Avoid red wine, which contains an amino acid known to trigger headaches. Have your alcohol with a meal, and limit your alcohol intake in the hour or two before bedtime.

Schedule Some Down Time

The holidays are filled with socializing, but don’t try to cram too much into a small amount of time. You can easily get burnt out and stress is a huge trigger for headaches. Don’t feel you must attend every holiday event to which you are invited, saying no is ok. Give yourself a break and plan some down time. A few hours to yourself each week can greatly reduce your stress and help prevent migraine episodes.

Try to Maintain Your Regular Sleep Schedule

We know with all of your possible visitors and holiday events this time of year that following your normal sleep schedule may seem hard. However, lack of sleep can trigger migraines. If you are used to getting 8 hours of sleep try your hardest to stay close to that.

Adjust Your Medication If Necessary

If you find your migraines are out of control during the holiday season, it may be time to reach out to a specialist. It is always important to have your migraine pain under control so you can live you best life, especially during the holidays.

The holidays should be a time for spending time with your loved ones, not dealing with migraines. If you are suffering from migraines, Arthritis Relief Institute is here to help. We can come up with a pain management plan to help you prevent and manage your migraines so that you can live a healthy, pain-free life. Give us a call today (480) 210-6059.