6 Migraine Triggers At Work And How To Avoid Them!
Living with migraines is definitely painful and also annoying. Wouldn’t you agree? As we know, migraines can occur at any time as long as there are triggers. A migraine can occur when you are home, on your way somewhere, or even in your work place. However, having a migraine at work is extremely disturbing. It disrupts your working activities, and often leads to having to go home. It helps when you know what the triggers are so that you can try to avoid them and live with your migraines more easily.
Below is a short list of triggers that occur at work.
1. Stress. This is the most common migraine trigger. There are many things that can cause stress, including being on a very tight deadline, dealing with an uncooperative co-worker, dealing with a demanding boss or even having to work late. When you are under pressure, it can lead to worry and/or panic which, in turn, can lead to a migraine.
2. Over-exertion. Some types of working activities which require you to make some exertion can also lead to a migraine.
3. Lighting. Flickering and/or bright lights, or even the light from your computer can be migraine triggers at work. Sensory pathways which are involved with migraines are considered to be the cause of this trigger. People who suffer from migraines are usually very sensitive when it comes to lighting.
4. Noise. Sometimes, being in a noisy environment can lead to a migraine headache.
5. Odors and Smells. Sometimes, co-workers, without knowing, come into the workplace with specific smells or odors that might be a trigger for you. For example, that could include a strong perfume, cologne, smoke. Even chemical smells or cleaning product odors can trigger a migraine.
6. Food/Drink. There are some types of foods and drinks that can trigger a migraine at work. These could include something like artificial sweeteners, chocolate, lunch meat, or bananas.
So, what can you do? Obviously, avoiding the trigger is the best thing to do, but unfortunately, that is not always possible in the work environment.
However, you should keep track of your migraine occurrences. Keeping a migraine diary or journal is essential. Keeping track of what is happening and circumstances surrounding a migraine can help you to more easily be aware of what a trigger is for you.
Once you know what the trigger is, you can take steps to avoid that trigger. You may have to learn some relaxation techniques to help you when you feel the stress of your job, or you may have to nicely ask a co-worker if they would mind not wearing a specific perfume around you. If it is caused by food, then you can alter what you eat.
If you have not yet had an opportunity to download my “12 Migraine Triggers and Solutions” FREE report, I would encourage you to do so now.
DISCLAIMER: Neither Holistic Health & Wellness, LLC nor Lynne Wadsworth are acting in the capacity of a doctor, licensed dietician-nutritionist, psychologist or other licensed or registered professional. Any advice given by Holistic Health & Wellness, LLC or Lynne Wadsworth is not meant to take the place of advice by these professionals. If you are under the care of a health care professional or currently use prescription medications, you should discuss any dietary changes or use of dietary supplements with your doctor, and should not discontinue any prescription medications without first consulting your doctor.