The Migraine Freedom Blog by Debbie Waidl

Sunshine Without the Shadow: Avoid Heat-Induced Headaches

It’s utterly frustrating, isn’t it?

When we all look forward to shedding those winter layers and soaking in some gentle sun, that familiar, unwelcoming pain starts knocking on our door.

It feels almost unfair that warmer temperatures– the beautiful weather many crave most– can be spoiled by migraines.

When the world outside seems hot and your body starts ringing alarm bells…

That warmth can genuinely affect your well-being, escalating from mere discomfort to migraines or worse! The heat can trigger even more serious health risks like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Understanding how our bodies react to heat is the first step in protecting ourselves from harm.

Why Heat Causes Migraines

Our amazing bodies try to maintain a steady temperature of 98.6 degrees, but sometimes, the heat from outside overwhelms our internal cooling system.

On those scorching days when the thermometer reads above a comfortable 75-degrees, our body kicks into high gear to prevent overheating.

Our skin acts like an alarm bell, sending signals to the brain, saying, "Hey, it's too hot out here!"

That's when we start sweating, which is our body's natural way of trying to cool down.

Your sweat glands kick into high gear, covering your skin with sweat. This moisture then evaporates off the skin, a natural cooling process.

Your body continues this cycle of sweating to dispel internal heat, working relentlessly to bring your temperature back to a comfortable state.

Heat Intolerance

Many of you may feel the heat has a more significant impact on you than other people you know. This is quite correct since many women who suffer from migraines also have other health concerns as well.

Heat intolerance may arise from conditions like anxiety disorders, menopause, thyroid imbalances, and various other issues including chronic illnesses like autoimmunity, cancer, and heart disease.

And if you take medications, whether they are for migraines or other health concerns, your risk of heat impacting your health skyrockets.

Medication Interactions

Numerous drugs may hinder the body's ability to manage its temperature and deal with heat. This puts you at a higher risk of succumbing to heat-induced conditions

Drugs like triptans, beta blockers, SSRIs, antihistamines, diuretics, antidepressants, laxatives, antacids, and thyroid hormones can reduce your thirst sensation, interfere with your ability to sweat, reduce blood vessel dilation, inhibit toxicity mitigation(making it harder for your body to expel toxins), cause electrolyte imbalance, and impact your cognitive function.

Finding Relief in the Heat

So, now that you know having a body temp of over 98.6 for an extended period isn’t safe and can trigger head pain, what can you do to keep your cool?

Stay Hydrated

Firstly, hydration is key. Drinking water isn't just good practice; it's essential on hot days. If you are not a H2O fan, add slices of fruit to make flavored water or switch it up with herbs. Mint or lemongrass can really spruce up the flavor, enticing you to drink more!

Listen to Your Body

Secondly, listen to your body. At the first sign of discomfort, find a shady spot or go indoors to cool down.

Symptoms like heavy sweating, dizziness, weakness, headaches, and nausea are our body's SOS signals that we need to cool down and hydrate ASAP.

Taking small breaks will help keep your threshold high, giving you a better chance of heading off the migraine while staying healthy.

Eliminate Medications

Lastly, address the underlying issues of your health problems to potentially lessen or eliminate the need for certain medications.

Understanding the short-term and long-term effects of the medications you are taking, particularly how they influence your heat tolerance, should emphasize the importance of prioritizing this approach.

Other Health Effects From the Heat

And if thats not enough to get you to think about making some changes …

Extreme heat doesn't only trigger migraines; it can also affect your cognitive functions, alter your mood, and impair your ability to make decisions.

Brain Fog

Your body perceives heat as stress, which can make the parasympathetic nervous system less active and lower blood oxygen levels. When this happens, your brain works hard to combat it, making it tougher to focus and stay clear-headed.

Energy Drain

Heat can also divert the brain's resources to keep you cool, leaving less energy for other functions like inflammation reduction, hormone production, and proper digestion.

Emotional Stress

Do you feel yourself snapping in the heat?

Researchers found that as the temperature rises, our anti-stress system (the parasympathetic nervous system) lowers itself. Instead of helping us stay calm and relaxed, it spikes your cortisol levels- leading to anxiety or agitation.

Sleep Disruption

Heat can also disrupt sleep, which is another migraine trigger. Low quality sleep may affect how you react and make decisions day-to-day.

Inflammation

Lastly, overheating and inflammation can damage the blood-brain barrier. This regulates what substances can pass between the brain and bloodstream. When it is compromised, there is the potential for harmful substances to enter the brain and cause inflammatory damage.

Beat the Heat and Receive Migraine Relief

Now that you know how to beat the heat, it’s time to take a sip of water, put on your sun hat, and begin exploring ways to understand the underlying causes of your migraines.

I recommend starting with our self-study masterclass. When you sign up, you’ll learn real, actionable tactics to reduce your migraines—even when you're in transit to that long-awaited beach getaway.

Grab the link here

Let’s leave behind the pain and get back to enjoying sunny warm days.

And as always, if we can help…just reach out. We know what you are going through and we are here to help you through it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Waidl is the Owner of In The Balance Health Coaching LLC, and Founder of The Freedom From Migraines Method™ & The Migraine Freedom Protocol™
She supports busy moms living with Migraines.

Debbie will uncover what is holding them back from migraine freedom so they can live their life pain and symptom free, work productively, spend the time they want with family and friends, and stop missing out on the things they enjoy.

A message from Debbie:
"I was once right where you are now. 100% believing there was NO WAY to end migraines and my only option was to learn how to live with them or find that magic pill that maybe would work for a while. If anyone told me back then that I could end my pain once and for all, I would have called BS and popped another pill!

Skeptical times 10 was my middle name for sure because when you try it all and everyone tells you they can help you and they don’t. You stop believing… you lose HOPE!

I now realize I was approaching my migraines all backward.

I was trying to cover up symptoms versus trying to end my pain."

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