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Avoiding Migraines While Traveling:
Traveling can bring on migraines because normal routines are disrupted, causing stress. But by following a few easy tips, you can stay one step ahead of potential triggers. First, give yourself plenty of time to prepare for your trip, to avoid feeling rushed. Try to get your normal amount of sleep while traveling, and stick to a regular eating schedule. Also, limit caffeine consumption to your usual amount, and stay well-hydrated with water.
Try not to overexert yourself with too much activity, alcohol, or sweets, and take care to avoid loud noises, bright lights, and temperature extremes. Be prepared for climate changes, and bring along any medications you use for migraines. For more tips, read the full article at EverydayHealth.com, and help keep your travels headache-free.
10 Tips for Taming Migraines While Traveling
Whether you're globe-trotting for business or pleasure, don't let the possibility of a migraine get you down when you're traveling. Take extra care to avoid known triggers and follow these tips to help make sure your trip is headache free.
Plan ahead. Traveling can be stressful, and stress is a common trigger for migraines, so save yourself the headache by organizing your itinerary and your pre-travel errands in advance. Prepare your luggage at least a day ahead, arrange for some downtime to relax before you take off, and leave plenty of time to get to your destination, whether you're driving, flying, or boarding a bus, train, or boat.
Sleep well. Disrupting your usual sleeping pattern can make you more susceptible to migraines. Therefore, make every effort to get enough — but not too much — sleep during your travels, and especially on the night before your departure. Nobody wants to spend the first day of a trip nursing a migraine.
Eat right. One of the best things about traveling to new places is indulging in the local cuisine, but if you know that certain foods — for example, chocolate, cheese, red wine, citrus, soy sauce, sugar, artificial sweeteners — tend to trigger your migraines, steer clear of them. Stick with a regular eating schedule — getting off-schedule or leaving long periods between meals can also induce a headache. Additionally, keep your caffeine consumption on a par with your usual intake because increasing or decreasing your caffeine levels can trigger migraines.
Drink water. Be sure to stay hydrated, especially if you're flying, spending time in a hot climate, or participating in vigorous physical activity, such as hiking, skiing, or swimming.
Don't overdo it. Whether you're going on a business trip, a vacation, or just visiting family or friends, you may be tempted to try to fit in as much as possible, but too much activity, too much alcohol, and even too many sweets can increase your risk of developing a migraine.
Avoid potential risks. People who are susceptible to migraines are usually sensitive to bright or flickering light, extremes of hot and cold, loud noises, and strong odors. Do your best to avoid or minimize your exposure to such potential triggers. Pack sunglasses, a sleeping mask, and earplugs.
Seek smoke-free alternatives. Smoking is still allowed in many public and privately owned places, including restaurants, bars, hotels, and offices. Since studies show that tobacco smoke is linked to migraines, ask for nonsmoking rooms, rental cars, and seating accommodations on trains and buses. Look for eating establishments that prohibit smoking, or choose a table in an outdoor area, where smoke will be less concentrated. Do your best to limit your exposure to secondhand smoke, especially in the early part of your trip, while you're adjusting to the new environment.
Be mindful of motion. Motion sickness is another top migraine trigger, so take medication along with you to stave off any illness if you're jostled around in a car or on a plane, train, or boat.
Be prepared for a change in climate. If you're traveling far enough away to experience a change in climate or an extreme change of weather, be aware that changes in temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure can cause migraines. Additionally, if you're going to be deep-sea diving or skiing or snowboarding at high altitudes, you also risk migraine discomfort. While you can't control these influences, you can take precautions to head off migraines or at least reduce their severity.
Don't forget your medication. If you take any over-the-counter medications or if you've been prescribed any drugs to ease migraine pain, be sure to take them with you on your trip. Furthermore, keep a dose handy during any day excursions you take in case you get hit with a migraine while you're away from your toiletries.
Even if you take every possible precaution, you may still end up with a migraine while traveling. If this happens, take time out to be by yourself and de-stress until you're feeling better. Make sure you've eaten and that you're properly hydrated. Take medication. And avoid negative thinking — your whole trip doesn't have to be ruined by migraine pain.
Happy Travelling
Traveling can bring on migraines because normal routines are disrupted, causing stress. But by following a few easy tips, you can stay one step ahead of potential triggers. First, give yourself plenty of time to prepare for your trip, to avoid feeling rushed. Try to get your normal amount of sleep while traveling, and stick to a regular eating schedule. Also, limit caffeine consumption to your usual amount, and stay well-hydrated with water.
Try not to overexert yourself with too much activity, alcohol, or sweets, and take care to avoid loud noises, bright lights, and temperature extremes. Be prepared for climate changes, and bring along any medications you use for migraines. For more tips, read the full article at EverydayHealth.com, and help keep your travels headache-free.
10 Tips for Taming Migraines While Traveling
Whether you're globe-trotting for business or pleasure, don't let the possibility of a migraine get you down when you're traveling. Take extra care to avoid known triggers and follow these tips to help make sure your trip is headache free.
Plan ahead. Traveling can be stressful, and stress is a common trigger for migraines, so save yourself the headache by organizing your itinerary and your pre-travel errands in advance. Prepare your luggage at least a day ahead, arrange for some downtime to relax before you take off, and leave plenty of time to get to your destination, whether you're driving, flying, or boarding a bus, train, or boat.
Sleep well. Disrupting your usual sleeping pattern can make you more susceptible to migraines. Therefore, make every effort to get enough — but not too much — sleep during your travels, and especially on the night before your departure. Nobody wants to spend the first day of a trip nursing a migraine.
Eat right. One of the best things about traveling to new places is indulging in the local cuisine, but if you know that certain foods — for example, chocolate, cheese, red wine, citrus, soy sauce, sugar, artificial sweeteners — tend to trigger your migraines, steer clear of them. Stick with a regular eating schedule — getting off-schedule or leaving long periods between meals can also induce a headache. Additionally, keep your caffeine consumption on a par with your usual intake because increasing or decreasing your caffeine levels can trigger migraines.
Drink water. Be sure to stay hydrated, especially if you're flying, spending time in a hot climate, or participating in vigorous physical activity, such as hiking, skiing, or swimming.
Don't overdo it. Whether you're going on a business trip, a vacation, or just visiting family or friends, you may be tempted to try to fit in as much as possible, but too much activity, too much alcohol, and even too many sweets can increase your risk of developing a migraine.
Avoid potential risks. People who are susceptible to migraines are usually sensitive to bright or flickering light, extremes of hot and cold, loud noises, and strong odors. Do your best to avoid or minimize your exposure to such potential triggers. Pack sunglasses, a sleeping mask, and earplugs.
Seek smoke-free alternatives. Smoking is still allowed in many public and privately owned places, including restaurants, bars, hotels, and offices. Since studies show that tobacco smoke is linked to migraines, ask for nonsmoking rooms, rental cars, and seating accommodations on trains and buses. Look for eating establishments that prohibit smoking, or choose a table in an outdoor area, where smoke will be less concentrated. Do your best to limit your exposure to secondhand smoke, especially in the early part of your trip, while you're adjusting to the new environment.
Be mindful of motion. Motion sickness is another top migraine trigger, so take medication along with you to stave off any illness if you're jostled around in a car or on a plane, train, or boat.
Be prepared for a change in climate. If you're traveling far enough away to experience a change in climate or an extreme change of weather, be aware that changes in temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure can cause migraines. Additionally, if you're going to be deep-sea diving or skiing or snowboarding at high altitudes, you also risk migraine discomfort. While you can't control these influences, you can take precautions to head off migraines or at least reduce their severity.
Don't forget your medication. If you take any over-the-counter medications or if you've been prescribed any drugs to ease migraine pain, be sure to take them with you on your trip. Furthermore, keep a dose handy during any day excursions you take in case you get hit with a migraine while you're away from your toiletries.
Even if you take every possible precaution, you may still end up with a migraine while traveling. If this happens, take time out to be by yourself and de-stress until you're feeling better. Make sure you've eaten and that you're properly hydrated. Take medication. And avoid negative thinking — your whole trip doesn't have to be ruined by migraine pain.
Happy Travelling
