It’s not a fun topic, but if you suffer from migraines, it’s important to plan ahead when traveling. I have dealt with migraines for many years, including on trips. Over the years, I have learned some tricks to avoid migraines– or at least alleviate them–while traveling.
7 Tips to Help Reduce Migraines When You Travel
Plan ahead to avoid stress.
Stress is a big trigger for migraine sufferers and planning ahead can alleviate this stress. Travel in itself can be stressful, so plan as much as possible before your trip. Know how you will travel from the airport to your hotel. Keep contact info at hand and print off all confirmations (train, hotel, bus, plane, tours). For more information on planning,
Pack your medication.
Check, double check, then triple check to make sure that you have your medication with you before you leave! It might be tempting to think that you are going on vacation and won’t need the medicine, but you might. You will feel so much better knowing that you have medicine with you–sometimes, worrying about not having medicine with you can be enough to cause unnecessary stress. If you usually find relief from prescription medicine, do not try to rely on over-the-counter medicines.
Don’t pack all of the medicine away in your luggage, make sure you have some handy on the plane. Sometimes, the air pressure, dehydration, or maybe your neighbors perfume/cologne can trigger a migraine. Having the medicine with you can be a life-saver. You don’t want to start your trip with a migraine, so carry some in your pocket with you on the plane.
Eat well and at normal times.
If you suffer from migraines, you probably already know that skipping a meal can trigger a migraine. Try to eat the same number of meals that you eat at home. Also try to eat a similar type of food that makes you feel good at home. This is not to say that the food has to be the same, after all, part of the fun of traveling is eating different foods! But, try to eat similar amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat as you do at home. When I’m on a trip, I find myself eating more carbs than at home, so it’s helpful to seek out more protein to balance my system.
Drink plenty of water
According to Migraine.com, “Dehydration is an often overlooked Migraine trigger.” If you suffer from migraines, it is especially important to drink plenty of water. While traveling, it is easy to be caught up in the activities and not drink as much as you normally do. Carry a water bottle with you and consciously think about how much water you drink each day. Drinking water is also part of our plan to avoid jet lag–these tips will help you avoid migraines as well.
Get enough sleep.
Try to maintain the same sleep schedule that you keep at home. If you normally function well on 7 hours of sleep, try to sleep 7 hours on your trip. It’s tempting to try to fit as much in as possible and not sleep long, but it won’t be worth it if you have a migraine the next day and aren’t able to see the sights. This does not mean that you have to go to bed at the same time as home; if you go to bed at home at 8:00, but you’re traveling to Spain where dinner doesn’t start until 10:00, then adjust your sleep to accommodate this and go to bed later and wake up later (or take a siesta to really authenticate your Spanish-sleep-style).
Pay attention to what works best for YOU when taking medicine.
You know what works best to rid yourself of a migraine when you first feeling it coming on. Be prepared for this and take the action necessary. Does the migraine go away if you take medicine at the first sign? Make sure to bring medicine with you on your outings. Does your migraine go away when after you eat something? Pack something small to eat like a protein bar, granola bar or fruit in your day-bag or purse. For me, if I feel a migraine coming on, what works best is to take my prescribed medicine at the first sign, then sleep for 30 minutes to an hour. Usually, when I awaken, the migraine is gone. I’ve even slept on a hydrofoil trip between Sorrento and Naples; luckily the migraine went away and I was able to enjoy a tour of Naples, then dinner with our new friends.
Avoid Triggers.
Try to determine your triggers. For many migraine sufferers, bright lights (especially flashes of lights) can bring on a migraine that was lurking. This is especially true for me if I’m in a restaurant facing a window, and the person sitting across the table from me is shadowed. The bright light shining through the window contrasted with the shadowed person can likely bring on a migraine. Another trigger for me is fluorescent lighting. Hotel rooms are notorious for having fluorescent lighting (even in the bedside table lamp). To cure this, I open the draperies and let in natural light; and wait as long as possible to turn on the hotel room lights. This is getting better as many hotels are opting for more efficient LED lighting, which doesn’t seem to have the same migraine-inducing effect on me as fluorescent lighting does.
Other common triggers include hormones, changes in the weather, smoke and other pungent smells, loud noises, wine, beer, and many more. Learn your triggers and avoid the ones you can. I know that if I drink wine, I am likely to have a migraine the next day; so even though I love the IDEA of wine, I simply don’t drink it. The romanticism of drinking wine special to a region isn’t as wonderful once the reality of a migraine sets in.
In the U.S., more than 38 million people experience frequent or occasional migraines and everyone’s experience is different. It’s important to understand what works best for you to avoid migraines and alleviate them. Talk to your doctor about possible solutions to migraines. Learn your triggers and what works best to avoid them; and keep a migraine diary to keep track of your results. WebMD has a great checklist to determine your triggers overtime. Check it out here…
I personally understand what you go through as a migraine-sufferer and I truly hope that you can alleviate them, or better yet, eliminate them and enjoy your trip.
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I give kudos to anyone who can travel with a migraine. I have to stay away from lights noise and just drink water
Thanks for commenting. Yeah, a dark room and quiet can make all the difference the world.
While I don’t have migraines, I follow a lot of these tips, especially about staying hydrated and eating at regular times. Love that these tips are useful for all types of travelers.
You are right, these tips do apply to general health. Thanks for commenting.
Thankfully I don’t suffer from migraines but if I don’t eat or drink enough water, I get headaches. Plus, combined with strobe lights, I get headaches too so I avoid strobe lights.
Ooh, strobe lights can be bad. Good tip!
I’ve only had about 3 migraines in my lifetime and I usually take myself to the darkest room and sleep until it passes. I can’t imagine having to endure one when travelling but if it happens, then I know where to find some good advice 🙂
Rosie | http://www.rosieromance.com
Thanks, Rosie. I hope you never need the advice!
Great tips for migraine sufferers. Even though I am not one, the advice you give for travel applies…especially staying hydrated and getting enough sleep. Solid advice.
Thank you, Rosemary. You’re right, these tips would help anybody feel better while traveling.
Planning ahead helps eliminate stress and last minute confusion. Love the sound of the tips you have mentioned.
I hate being stressed! Especially when it’s about something I could have been more prepared for, so it’s essential for me to plan ahead–plus it’s part of the fun 🙂
Thanks for commenting.
Yessss to these tips! I don’t travel often but I need to drink a lot and eat normally or I get migraines.
Thank you! I’m so sorry you have migraines, too. It’s amazing how drinking a lot of water and eating normally can help, isn’t it? Thanks for commenting.
I dont embark on any journey if i have migraine, I even hardly leave the room.. I guess this tip will be a great help to me in case it happens after i have traveled because mine is really unpredictable, Well, i have always been told it because of lack of sleep.
Lack of sleep definitely affects me, and it’s so hard to maintain my sleep schedule on a trip (I want to see it all!). I hope you’re migraines are lessened in the future. Thanks for posting
Thank God, I don’t have a migraine. I drink plenty of water in a day because water is so necessary for our life. You shared such useful information and I’m sure many will learn something from this post.
You are so right about water being important! I am very grateful you don’t have migraines. Thanks for posting.