The 11 Most Common Migraine Triggers and Causes

Migraines can be intense and last for a long time. They can be so intense that they interfere with your quality of life and make it hard to do your usual activities. On top of the intensity, migraines can seem to happen without cause or warning. But you may see a pattern when you take a closer look. Certain things may trigger your migraines. 

In fact, researchers have found several common migraine triggers. Avoiding or trying to limit these triggers can be the key to enjoying more headache-free days.

Here are 11 common migraine triggers that you may want to know.

1. Stress

Stress can show up in many different ways in your body. And you may be wondering if stress causes migraines. In fact, stress is a trigger in over 70% of people with migraines. So if you have a lot on your plate and get migraines, you aren’t alone. 

There are a few theories about why stress can cause migraines. Emotional stress can lead to changes in the levels of stress hormones, which may bring on a migraine. 

Stress is often linked to poor sleep and unhealthful food choices. These are also triggers that can leave you open to a migraine attack. Decreasing your stress levels may be the key to fewer headaches. Some ways you might reduce your stress include:

• Deep breathing

• Relaxation techniques

• Yoga

• Spending time outdoors

2. Changes in sleep

Sleep patterns and migraines are closely linked. A common area of the brain controls both sleep and pain. Sleep disorders and migraines also commonly coexist. Not getting enough sleep triggers migraines in up to 50% of people. It’s also possible for migraines to be triggered by too much sleep or irregular sleeping patterns.

It’s not entirely clear why sleep affects migraines. But sleep disturbances may change chemical pathways in your brain and make you more sensitive to migraines. It’s easier said than done, but following a consistent sleep schedule may help. You can also talk with a healthcare professional if you’re struggling with sleep.

3. Shifts in hormones

Changes in hormone levels can also trigger migraines. This often happens around your menstrual cycle. A drop in estrogen occurs right before your period begins. This can trigger a menstrual migraine. Menstrual migraines typically start a few days before or after your cycle. 

In the same way, people nearing menopause may have migraines due to changes in hormone levels. Hormone therapy may help prevent these headaches by keeping estrogen levels consistent. 

Migraines also occur in people taking hormonal birth control. This typically happens during the placebo week of birth control, when you don’t take any hormones. This causes your estrogen levels to take a deep plunge. Taking birth control continuously or reducing the number of placebo days may decrease your risk of this type of migraine.

Experts recommend that people with a history of migraines with aura avoid certain types of hormonal birth control. This is due to an increased risk of stroke. If you have migraines and are considering birth control, talk with your healthcare team about which options may be best for you.

4. Caffeine or alcohol

Caffeine is commonly thought of as a migraine trigger. Caffeine affects blood flow in the blood vessels of your brain. Some research suggests that too much caffeine can cause migraines, while other research doesn’t support this link. So, it might be a matter of finding the “right” amount for you and being consistent with your daily intake. 

Alcohol can also increase your risk for migraines. Alcohol also affects blood vessels, causing them to widen. Increased blood flow and activation of pain receptors after drinking alcohol may be the cause of more migraine headaches.

But there’s no need to avoid caffeine or alcohol entirely. In fact, many over-the-counter (OTC) migraine medications have caffeine. And while there’s no amount of alcohol that’s considered completely safe, some people can tolerate an occasional drink.

5. Dehydration

Dehydration can cause any type of headache, including migraines. It can also make you more sensitive to pain.

It’s important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Keep in mind that caffeine and alcohol can make you urinate more often. This can increase your risk of dehydration and can also cause more headaches.

6. Weather changes

Changing weather is a less common trigger of migraines. In particular, changes in humidity and atmospheric pressure can affect some people. Bright sunlight, warm temperatures, and high winds may also trigger migraines.

Overall, the data on the link between weather and migraines isn’t strong. It also isn’t clear why the weather is a factor. But it may be that fluctuations in air pressure trigger blood flow changes.

7. Certain foods

Many people with migraines report that certain foods can cause their migraines. It’s not clear why this happens, but there are a few different theories. It may be due to inflammation or effects on brain cells and neurotransmitters. 

Foods that make the short list of common migraine triggers are:

• Aged cheese 

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• Processed meats 

• Artificial sweeteners 

• Nuts

8. Skipped meals

Avoiding trigger foods may help prevent migraines, but it’s also important not to skip meals entirely. In fact, over 40% of people report fasting as a migraine trigger. 

This may be related to how hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) affects the brain. But more research is needed to be sure. If fasting triggers your migraines, experts recommend eating regular, balanced meals to help prevent them.

9. Light, sound, and smell

Another common migraine trigger is heightened sensitivity to light, sound, and smell. These sensitivities can also make headache pain worse. A low tolerance for at least one of these senses is present more often than not during a migraine attack. This may be due to connections between the areas of the brain that process your senses and those involved in headache pain. 

Strong odors, loud noises, and bright lights can also cause headaches in the workplace. If you are only getting headaches on days you’re at work, these triggers may be the reason.

10. Exertion

If you feel a headache coming on during or shortly after a workout, it could be an exertion migraine. This may be due to the release of certain chemicals during exercise that increase your awareness of pain. Other physical activities can also trigger a migraine, including:

• Swimming

• Sex 

• Coughing

• Straining during a bowel movement

Some tips that may help to prevent a migraine from exercise include:

• Warming up before exercise

• Slowly ramping up intensity of exercise over time

• Being consistent in your exercise routine

• Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) an hour before exercise (check with a healthcare professional first)

11. Tobacco

Researchers have established a link between smoking and headaches, including migraines. But there’s not much solid evidence about this relationship. Not much is known about tobacco use and migraine frequency.

That said, there’s never a bad time to quit smoking. Quitting has many benefits for your health, whether or not it affects your migraines.

How can I determine the cause and decrease my risk of migraine?

The exact cause of your migraine headache may not always be clear. Usually, a combination of triggers happens at the same time. This can make it hard to figure out what’s causing your migraines. For example, changes in the weather and a few sleepless nights may both trigger your migraine. 

It can also be tough to know what’s causing your migraines because some triggers can lead to others. This could create a cycle where one trigger causes a migraine, and the migraine causes more of that trigger. This means stress might be the reason for your headache, and the headache might be the reason for more stress.

A headache journal is a useful tool to help find patterns and determine your triggers. You can use a journal or an app to write down days when you have a headache and any factors that are present. Some helpful things to take note of include:

• Sleep schedule

• Eating schedule

• Foods you ate

• Weather conditions

• Stress level

It’s helpful to capture as much information as possible leading up to the migraine. You may not realize something is triggering you until you have had more than one migraine. By tracking your symptoms and looking for patterns, you can identify personal triggers and take steps to avoid them in the future.

How do you manage migraine triggers?

The best way to manage migraine triggers is to identify them and avoid them when possible. But some people have many potential triggers for their migraines, and some are difficult to avoid. In these cases, knowing what to do when early migraine symptoms appear may help prevent a migraine attack. 

If you have migraines, it’s a good idea to work with a healthcare professional to create a treatment plan that you can follow at the onset of a migraine headache.

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Written by:

Bernadette Anderson, MD, MPH

A native of Saginaw, Michigan, Dr. Bernadette earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She completed a master's degree in public health at the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate of medicine from the Medical College of Ohio.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

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