More than a billion people worldwide experience and live with migraine headaches. The National Institutes of Health reports that 14% of the population experiences migraines, including 40 million people in America alone. 

People who regularly experience migraines know that an attack is rarely just a headache. A migraine is a complex neurological event that often involves a range of symptoms that can vary from person to person. Recent data from the Global Burden of Disease study confirms that migraines remain the leading cause of disability among neurological disorders. 

The Migraine Science Collaborative says research has shifted from viewing migraine triggers as isolated events to focusing on several small factors that may accumulate until a migraine sets in. Recognizing what can lead to an attack may help people get faster relief.  

  • Gender: SingleCare reports that women are three times more likely than men to experience migraines. While gender isn’t a trigger, it is a risk factor for women.
  • Stress: Pfizer reports that more than 70% of migraine sufferers cite stress as a major trigger for migraine. Often, the attack strikes during the cooling-off period after a stressful event.
  • Hormones: Wild shifts in the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, particularly during menstruation and perimenopause, account for a significant percentage of migraine attacks, according to Alloy Health. Many women may find significant relief once they reach postmenopause and their hormones stabilize. 
  • Weather: An upward trend in migraine severity is linked to extreme heat and rapid changes in barometric pressure, according to National Geographic.  
  • Surprisal score: A surprisal score measures how much daily experiences deviate from a person’s typical routine, according to the JAMA Network. Those with a higher surprisal score may face an increased short-term risk of migraine. For example, drinking a glass of wine per day may not affect migraine risk, but having several drinks in a day may raise the odds of migraine within a certain period afterward.  
  • Sleep disturbances: Pfizer says that both too little and too much sleep can disrupt the brain’s homeostatic balance and contribute to a migraine.
  • Foods and beverages: Food- and beverage-related triggers are subjective. However, foods and beverages such as aged cheeses, processed meats, red wine, artificial sweeteners, MSG, and caffeine may trigger a migraine, according to Geisinger Health. 

Migraines are unpleasant, but people may be able to reduce their frequency by recognizing and tracking triggers, and making certain lifestyle changes.