Tips for Staying Comfortable in the Sun & Heat with Migraine
By: Brooklyn A. Bradley, BS; Medically edited by Dr. Deena Kuruvilla, MD
July marks the middle of the summer and many people are taking the time to experience outdoor activities. However, if you have migraine, increased sun exposure can be a significant trigger. In today’s blog post, we will discuss some essential sun safety tips to help you enjoy the summer while also keeping your migraine attacks at bay.
While bright light itself can be a migraine trigger, factors like increased heat and dehydration can also serve as migraine triggers during the summer months [1, 2]. Light sensitivity, or photophobia, is reported by approximately 80% of people with migraine [3]. The sun emits electromagnetic waves of light, and the most intense of these to reach the earth’s surface is visible light, with blue light being the most painful for those with migraine [4, 5]. In addition, sunlight and humidity can contribute to other migraine triggers such as dehydration and heat. Prolonged sun exposure without adequate hydration and replenishment can lead to dehydration [1, 6]. With extreme heat, the brain has been shown to have increased electrical activity which is one of the known causes of migraine [7].
Choosing the right sunglasses and wearing protective headgear are equally important to decrease the effect that sun exposure has on your migraine. Two factors to consider when choosing sunglasses are UV protection and the use of polarized lenses. The goal of UV protection is to ensure your eyes are protected from harmful rays (i.e. blue light rays). Polarized lenses can reduce glare from reflective surfaces like water and other reflective surfaces, thus reducing eye strain. Regarding protective headgear, hats and visors can protect you from direct sunlight. For example, wide-brimmed hats will offer coverage for your face and neck.
Another tip for protecting yourself from the sun is to stay hydrated, as dehydration can be a migraine trigger as we mentioned previously [1, 2]. Some good practices to ensure you are incorporating hydration into your daily routine include drinking water throughout the day and consuming hydrating foods (i.e., watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries). In addition, electrolyte drinks can also help replenish some of the minerals (sodium and chloride) that are lost through sweat, especially when you are spending time doing outdoor activities and exercises in increased heat.
When considering the timing of outdoor activities, the sun will be less intense during early morning or late afternoon, so try to limit time in the midday sun [8]. If you are able to plan around the weather, try to choose days with moderate temperatures for outdoor activities to limit the potential effects of the heat on your migraine. When spending time outdoors, it is important to incorporate regular breaks in the shade to hydrate, recuperate, and stay cool.
In conclusion, follow these sun safety tips and minimize potential migraine triggers. As always, it is important to prioritize your health and be aware of the early signs of a migraine attack. At the Westport Headache Institute, we hope you have a cool and sun-safe summer!
References:
- Kesserwani H Migraine Triggers: An Overview of the Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Atmospherics, and Their Effects on Neural Networks. Cureus 13:e14243. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.14243
- Marmura MJ (2018) Triggers, Protectors, and Predictors in Episodic Migraine. Curr Pain Headache Rep 22:81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-018-0734-0
- Posternack C, Kupchak P, Capriolo AI, Katz BJ (2023) Targeting the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell to reduce headache pain and light sensitivity in migraine: A randomized double-blind trial. J Clin Neurosci 113:22–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2023.04.015
- Austin E, Geisler AN, Nguyen J, et al (2021) Visible light. Part I: Properties and cutaneous effects of visible light. J Am Acad Dermatol 84:1219–1231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2021.02.048
- Noseda R, Bernstein CA, Nir R-R, et al (2016) Migraine photophobia originating in cone-driven retinal pathways. Brain 139:1971–1986. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/aww119
- Mason BN, Russo AF (2018) Vascular Contributions to Migraine: Time to Revisit? Front Cell Neurosci 12:233. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2018.00233
- Moulton EA, Becerra L, Maleki N, et al (2011) Painful heat reveals hyperexcitability of the temporal pole in interictal and ictal migraine States. Cereb Cortex 21:435–448. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhq109
- US EPA O (2018) Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation and Sun Exposure. https://www.epa.gov/radtown/ultraviolet-uv-radiation-and-sun-exposure. Accessed 10 Jul 2024