Migraine triggers vary significantly between individuals. Identifying yours is one of the most effective strategies for reducing migraine frequency.
Common triggers
- Sleep: too much or too little. Maintaining consistent sleep times is protective.
- Food and drink: alcohol (particularly red wine and beer), aged cheese, processed meats, caffeine (both excess and withdrawal).
- Hormones: the menstrual cycle is a major trigger for many women — migraines often occur in the two days before or at the start of menstruation.
- Stress and dehydration: both well-established triggers.
- Sensory stimuli: bright lights, strong smells, loud noise.
How to identify your triggers
Keep a headache diary for at least 4 weeks. Record what you ate, how you slept and your stress level on headache days and non-headache days. Patterns typically emerge within 6-8 weeks.