Migraine headache triggers

Triggers of migraine headache vary among individuals and include behavioral factors, foods, hormones, medicines, lights, odors, or other environmental factors. The most common migraine triggers are:¹

• Stress (either during a stressful time or right after stress subsides).
• Menstrual cycle in women.
• Changes in sleep-getting either too much or too little sleep.
• Fasting or skipping meals.
• Changes in the weather, heat, or high humidity.
• Bright lights, glare, reflected sunlight, or other intense visual stimuli.
• Foods, such as chocolate.
• Alcohol-all alcohol, or one type of alcohol in particular, like beer or wine.
• Odors such as perfume, paint, dust, and certain flowers.

Other migraine triggers include:

• Strong emotions, such as depression or anxiety.
• Physical exercise.
• Aspartame.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG).
• Nitrates, which are found in cured meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and cold cuts.
• Tyramines, which are found in pickled or marinated foods, aged cheeses, and yeast.
• Smoking or being around someone who smokes.
• Excessive caffeine or caffeine withdrawal.
• Birth control pills and hormone therapy.
• Medications that expand (dilate) the blood vessels (vasodilators), such as nifedipine, and nitrates.
• Overuse of headache pain medications, leading to rebound headaches.

Citations

1. Evans RW (2003). Migraine. In Saunders Manual of Neurologic Practice, chap. 11, pp. 421–430. Philadelphia: Saunders.