Traveling with Migraines makes your vacation plan goes south.
If this has happened to you before, you know how disastrous a trip can be due to Migraine: the long queues at airports and the hours to kill before and during the flight can make you reconsider the holiday and ask yourself if it was really necessary or not.
In this article, we are giving you tips to avoid Migraines, and how to cure it if it comes anyway.
- Stay hydrated. As simple as it sounds, keeping yourself hydrated is the simplest measure you can take to avoid Migraines. Bring an empty tumbler from your home to bring to the airport, and once you pass the security check, feel free to fill it with water. Most airports provide free drinking water for its passengers, so there’s no excuse to be dehydrated, really. Just make sure your tumbler holds nothing more than 100 ml since most airlines ban liquids over that quantity to be taken into the aircrafts. Also, limit yourself to caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee since they can trigger Migraines too. Instead, opt for mineral water as much as you can.
- Steer away from sweets and junk food. It’s easy to find ourselves indulging in airport kiosk, eating junk foods and sweets because they’re quick and easy; not realizing that it’s a trigger for Migraines. If this is you, next time make sure to pack healthy snacks that are rich in protein, whole grains, and healthy fats like nuts, protein bars, oats, fresh fruits and veggies, popcorn or whole-grain crackers.
- Stick to your sleep schedule. Not many people realize this, but too much sleep is as much a trigger as too little sleep is. While being jet-lagged is inevitable at times, a good tip we learn is trying to keep as close to your sleep schedule. It might be fun finding yourself in the night life of your destination, but we guarantee you, it wouldn’t be so fun when you find yourself struck with Migraines due to your lack-or excess-of sleep.
- Avoid stress and stay calm. Funnily enough, a holiday can be a major stressor for some people. Changes in the plan, local drama, and many other things can easily turn a fun trip into chaos. For a start, always give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, checking in, checking your luggage, finding your gate and take a breather before your scheduled flight so you don’t have to rush to the gate. When this happens, try to approach the situation in a lighter way and don’t stress yourself too much. If you exercise, try doing your routines like usual since this is a good way to reduce stress and keeps your body healthy.
- Keep it easy under the sun. While spending time in a tropical paradise sounds fun, never forget to cover your head to avoid getting heat strokes and keep Migraines at bay. A hat, a head-scarf, a bandana, whatever your choice is, always put something on your head while you stroll around.
- Always have your medications handy. Never, never put medications in the luggage you’re checking in. Airlines have a slightly different regulations regarding how much medication you can take with you, but a quick check on their website will answer your question. Keep them in an easily-recognizable container and put them in your purse, hand-bag, or hand-carry to take with you into the cabin.
- Notice your doctor. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before a trip; especially if you throw in a regular check-up into the mix. Making sure your body is fit enough for the trip will bring you so much more benefit than having surprises during your holiday. If anything, your doctor may know what medications will be available for you in your destination and give you a prescription so you don’t have to look at ingredients on those foreign medication packages in your destination to find out what to buy.
- Be ready to respond. If Migraines still find you after all, be sure to quickly take your medication and let it soothe you right away. If you have ample time before your flight, try finding a darker and quieter area in the airport to have a short nap.
- Prepare for take off and landing. Due to pressure changes, take off and landings are among two of the most triggering factors during a flight. What some people have found helping is by chewing a gum or swallowing water as your aircraft leaves or touches the ground.
- Avoid overload sensory stimulations. Whether the person next to you decides to keep their lights on during the night, the kid in front of you pooped his pants, or that baby at the back keeps crying during the 14 hours flight, all you can do is prepare yourself for the battle. Overstimulated eyes? Cover them with sleep masks or a huge sunglasses. Bonus tip: bring gel-masks to cover AND rejuvenate your eyes at the same time. You’ll wake up feeling really fresh! To reduce noise, buy some disposable earplugs or whip up your noise-cancelling headphones so you can focus on that K-drama instead of listening to that baby crying overnight. Ha! Finally, if you want to block a certain smell, try bringing your favorite perfume in a small roll-on bottles and smear some on your wrists for easy access. Voila! Suddenly the flight feels a whole lot better.
- Tell the flight attendants. It’s amazing how many people won’t say anything to the flight attendants during their episodes because they don’t feel it’s serious enough. Actually, these flight attendants can help you so much by bringing you an ice or heat pack, a blanket, a pillow, some ginger ale, or extra water.
- Pause and recharge. You know that feeling when you finally get in your hotel room, right? Well, instead of hurrying yourself into the first thing on your itinerary, it’s better if you take the time to take a relaxing bath, slip into something comfy, and take a nap. When you wake up, have a hearty meal and do some light exercise before finally stepping out of the room.
Well, there you have it; twelve tips to travel when you have Migraines. Hopefully, it can help you navigate your next trip and make it easier to walk through.
See you in our next article, and until then, please keep yourself healthy. Have a great trip!