Thanksgiving Day is a time for family, friends, good food, and giving thanks for all we have. Here are some tips to help enjoy the celebration while living with Migraine disease. Happy Thanksgiving from MigraineDisease.org!
Don't Forget About Those Migraine Food Triggers.
Are some foods Migraine triggers for you? How about beverages? If you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner, don't forget to plan dishes and beverages that you can eat and drink without triggering a Migraine attack. If you're a guest at a dinner hosted by someone else, don't hesitate to ask about the menu and offer to bring a dish or two and a beverage that are safe for you.
Plan Ahead!
Planning ahead can reduce stress and the amount of time you have to spend on preparations on the day of your celebration. There are many foods that can be prepared in advance, then refrigerated or frozen to be used on Thanksgiving Day. If you don't have enough space, check with family and friends to see if they can store some items for you.
Don't Hesitate to Delegate
We don't have to do it all ourselves. Delegating is a good thing. Think about who's good at what and delegate tasks to family and friends who will be sharing in your celebration. This can result is less stress, better self care, and fewer Migraine attacks.
It's OK to Make Requests with Your Invitations
It's perfectly acceptable to make requests of those who will be joining in your celebration. Are fragrances a Migraine trigger for you? Especially in your home, it's NOT rude to ask people not to wear fragranced products. If you're hosting the Thanksgiving celebration, consider written or emailed invitations. This is the perfect opportunity to ask people not to wear colognes, performes, after shave, and other scented products that could make you ill.
Don't Skimp on Your Rest and Sleep
Keep in mind that not getting enough sleep or a messed up sleep schedule can be strong Migraine triggers. Staying up late the night before or getting up too early on Thanksgiving morning can spell disaster for some of us. Remember the tip about planning ahead. Even a turkey can be cooked in advance and reheated. That may not be your idea of a perfect Thanksgiving, but isn't that preferable to possibly being absent from your celebration because of a Migraine attack?
Keep Meal Times Consistent
Holidays can produce wildly erratic meal schedules, and that can trigger Migraine attacks. Make an effort to have balanced meals on a regular schedule during holiday times. If it's not possible to have Thanksgiving dinner at your regular meal time, keep healthy snacks ready so the irregular schedule doesn't trigger a Migraine attack. Watch out for quick snacks though. The wrong ones can do as much harm as good.
Be Mindful of Stress and Stress Related Migraine Triggers
Stress can be a Migraine trigger for some people. However, stressful times are full of other potential Migraine triggers too, many of which can be avoided if we're aware and mindful. Other potential triggers during stressful times include dehydration, messed up sleep, too much caffeine, and crying. Rather than assuming the trigger is stress, we can often avoid Migraine attacks by being aware of and avoiding other stress related triggers.
Employ Self Care and Enjoy!
When we're surrounded by caring family members and friends who truly care about us, they're more concerned about us than having every holiday detail perfect. We need to do what we're able to do — and no more — and remember our self care. Whether we curl up somewhere to meditate or indulge in a bubble bath, some "me time" is good self care. Don't rush the day. So what if things get of schedule a bit? Enjoy!
More Holiday Tips, Tricks, and Migraine Hacks
