5 Ways to Prevent Holiday Headaches and Migraines

If you suffer from chronic or recurrent headaches or migraines, you know one thing for sure: They never take a holiday. In fact, for many people, headache symptoms tend to become more common during winter festivities, thanks to increased demands on your time, emotional stress, and even the trimmings and trappings of the holiday season.

At Advanced Medical Care, we want patients to enjoy this holiday season without suffering from headache and migraine pain. In this post, our neurology experts offer five simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of headaches without missing out on the festivities.

1. Avoid sensory overload

Bright or flickering lights, strong scents, and loud noises can trigger migraines and stress headaches. Unfortunately, these triggers are also frequently a part of holiday celebrations, like parties and family gatherings. Even a festive holiday shopping trip can be spoiled by an environment filled with bright lights, noisy crowds, perfume samples, and other scents.

It’s fairly easy to avoid or limit bright lights and scents in your own home, but it’s not so simple when you’re out and about. If you begin to feel overwhelmed, take steps to limit your exposure and retreat to a quiet area for a few moments to reset. Wearing tinted glasses may also help when light displays or bright store lighting is an issue.

2. Prioritize sleep

Late nights and early mornings are part of the holiday fun, but changes to your sleep schedule can easily trigger a headache or migraine. Aim to go to bed and wake up within an hour of your usual times whenever possible, and avoid caffeine and alcohol after midday.

Keeping a calm, dark sleep environment also helps, especially if you’re staying in an unfamiliar hotel bedroom. Consider packing a sleep mask and downloading an app that lets you play white noise in the background.

3. Stay hydrated — and be mindful of alcohol

Winter’s dry air significantly increases the risk of dehydration, especially when combined with holiday cocktails and salty snacks. If you suffer from headaches, even mild dehydration can be enough to trigger painful symptoms.

To stay hydrated, limit alcohol consumption and alternate alcoholic drinks with water. Or skip alcohol altogether and opt for sparkling water refreshed with fruit or cucumber. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day to make it easy to hydrate on the go. 

4. Watch what you eat

Large meals are a prominent feature for many holiday celebrations, and it can be tempting to skip meals to make room for festive treats. Unfortunately, skipping even one meal can alter your blood sugar levels and increase the risk of a painful headache. 

Instead, try to maintain your regular eating schedule and focus on balanced meals. Include complex carbohydrates and protein to maintain energy and avoid unpleasant spikes in glucose.

It’s also important to keep an eye on ingredients that could trigger symptoms. Chocolate, red wine, and charcuterie staples like cheese and cured meats can pose problems for people with migraines. Keeping a food journal helps identify triggers, but when in doubt, opt for alternatives.

5. Make stress management a daily habit

Although the holidays are meant to be fun, they can also cause a lot of stress, especially if you have a lot on your personal to-do list. The bad news: Emotional stress is a common trigger for migraines and other headaches. The good news: You can take simple steps to manage stress and reduce headaches.

Setting aside just a few minutes in your daily routine to decompress and de-stress can make a big difference. Try going on a daily walk, taking an hour to listen to calming music, or participating in a relaxing hobby. 

Deep breathing is another great way to relieve stress, and it’s an activity you can do at work and even while driving. Finally, be sure to set realistic expectations this holiday season, prioritizing obligations and saying “no” when things start to feel overwhelming.

Don’t let headaches and migraines take a toll on your quality of life. To learn how our caring neurology team at Advanced Medical Care can help you optimize your well-being, request an appointment online or over the phone in Forest Hills, Queens, and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York.