Why is my migraine worse in summer? |
For people with migraine, summer can be a double-edged sword. You may be able to relax more, sleep in, enjoy the sunshine, and spend time with family and friends.
But other factors – such as glare, heat, and changes to sleeping and diet – can make migraine attacks more likely or more severe.
Migraine is a disabling neurological disorder affecting 5 million Australians. In addition to a throbbing headache, it can cause hypersensitivity to light, sound, smells or movement.
Triggers for attacks vary from person to person and seasonal changes don’t affect everyone. But if you find your migraine attacks are worse or more likely in summer, knowing why can help you prepare.
Normally when it is hot, you sweat more to regulate your core temperature. Your body becomes cooler when sweat evaporates off your body.
In summer when the air is hotter and there is more humidity, your brain’s hypothalamus causes blood vessels close to the skin to dilate so that heat can escape.
But people with migraine often have hypersensitive nerves and blood vessels. When blood vessels dilate in the heat, it can irritate nearby nerves and cause inflammation, which the migraine brain interprets as pain. This is due to the brain’s stress response, not an infection.
Sweating helps regulate your core body temperature, cooling you down as the sweat........