Migraines are a reality for over 30 million Americans and while there isn’t much we can do to control our environment at the office or while in public spaces, there are ways to keep your home from being a trigger. If you suffer from migraines or painful headaches, consider these tips on how to turn your home into an oasis of healing rather than a promoter of pain.

Light Lessons: The brains of people who experience migraines are generally extra sensitive to sensory input like lighting. Something as simple as a flickering fluorescent bulb while sitting at your desk or shopping in a market can trigger a painful migraine so be sure to consider this when planning lighting in your home. While there’s no perfect bulb solution, dim bulbs (the lower the wattage, the better) are preferable to fluorescents or halogens because the light is muted and steadier. Other helpful lighting lessons to cut down on migraines include installing dimmers to darken a room when you feel a headache coming on, and installing blinds or shades to shield you from streaming sunlight that may trigger a headache.

Stop Strong Smells: Inadequate ventilation indoors leads to higher levels of pollutants and stronger smells than what you would find outside. Seem strange? Think about how you might mask odors in your home—candles or air fresheners might seem to solve the issue at hand but in actuality they are presenting you with a strong trigger for a migraine. Intense aromas of any kind irritate the trigeminal nerve which runs from your nose to your brain. This nerve is responsible for a majority of headaches we experience so keeping smells in check is important; choose nontoxic cleaners, crack your windows regularly, use an air purifier, and choose low-VOC paints and furniture.

Tame the Toys: We live in a technology obsessed time and these gadgets can trigger migraines more frequently than we realize. Tablets, smart phones, laptops, and computer screens can overstimulate the brain with their white glow and, with the amount of time we spend on these toys each day, migraines can be more severe or come on stronger. The obvious solution to taming this trigger is to cut back on usage but, depending on your job or need for the gadgets, this may not be an option. Consider adjusting the brightness setting on handheld toys and placing a glare-reducing filter on computer screens to cut the white light. Additionally, our posture is generally terrible while we use our devices (slumped over on the couch, rounding our shoulders while sitting at a desk for extended periods of time). Take a break every 20 or 30 minutes while using technological toys to loosen the muscles, especially those in the neck where pain signals are sent to the brain.

Alleviate Allergens: Irritants like dust mites, mold, or dander can inflame nasal passages and trigger a headache by sending pain-signal chemicals to the brain and can also cause a buildup of pressure in nasal passages and sinuses. In your home you can control the amount of allergens you breathe by investing in an air purifier with HEPA filers (which remove up to 99% of airborne allergens) and a quality vacuum that doesn’t send allergens back into the air. Want to take it even further? A dehumidifier is an effective way to ensure your home isn’t an environment where dust mites and mold can thrive. Easier fixes to alleviate allergens center on caring for your bed; launder bedding in hot water weekly and consider microfiber allergen-blocking pillow cases, mattress or box spring covers.

If you suffer from migraines, you know how debilitating they can be. We’ve posted a headache remedy blog with tips and another explaining how Turmeric can help you find relief. Knowing your trigger(s) is a great place to start so consider these listed above to help you identify them. What works for you? Tell us here!