Introduction
Migraines are a common condition that can have a major impact on your life. You may feel pain, nausea, or sensitivity to light or sound when you have one, but what many people don’t know is that migraines can also affect how you function when you’re at work. When this happens, it can be difficult to function as well as you’d like to in the workplace because of these symptoms. But there are ways to manage your migraines at work so that they don’t get in the way too much!
Communicate
If you want your colleagues to understand what you are going through, then be honest with them. Let them know that a migraine attack can affect how productive you are during the day and how often they will need to cover for you. Explain that if there is anything they can do to help make your job easier and less stressful, then please let them know so they can accommodate your condition.
- Tell your boss about your condition:
Explain how it affects the way you work so they understand why some tasks may take longer than usual or why requests need extra attention right now. If possible, offer suggestions on what might help lessen the impact of a migraine attack at work (such as taking frequent breaks).
- Let them know when an attack occurs:
If one has already started before leaving home, tell someone who stays behind or let them know when it happens by calling in sick instead of texting back “I’m fine!” as soon as someone calls/texts/emails asking whether everything is alright with no response from their end; otherwise this could lead others into thinking that something must be wrong because normally people would respond immediately unless there was no reception (which isn’t really feasible given how many different kinds of mobile devices we have today).
Take care of your health
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Get enough sleep.
- Exercise regularly.
This will help you keep your energy up, which is important for staying healthy and feeling good about yourself in the workplace.
Understand your triggers
Migraine triggers vary from person to person and can be difficult to identify. If you have migraines, it’s important that you understand your triggers so that you can avoid them. The most common migraine triggers are:
- Stress
- Alcohol
- Caffeine withdrawal
- Weather changes (hot weather and humidity)
- Sleep disturbances (too much sleep or too little sleep)
Have a migraine plan
Make a migraine plan.
It’s important to have a plan for dealing with your migraines at work. This should include:
- A migraine diary, in which you record the frequency, duration and severity of your attacks as well as any triggers that may be causing them (a list of common triggers can be found here.)
- A list of medications you take and how to use them (more on this below).
- A resource list including phone numbers and websites where you can find more information about managing migraines at work, such as this one.
Migraine can be an obstacle to dealing with work, but it doesn’t have to be.
You may be able to work through a migraine if it’s mild, but a severe migraine can make you feel too ill to do much of anything. Migraines are often triggered by certain foods and smells, so those things should be avoided during the migraine cycle.
If you have trouble sleeping because of migraines or other headaches, consider talking with your doctor about ways that could help you get more sleep and feel less stressed out during the day.
Conclusion
There is no reason why migraine should stop you from doing your job at work. We’ve discussed the most common types of headaches and how they can affect your career. It’s important to be in tune with your body so that you can manage your migraine effectively by knowing what triggers it, what treatments work best for you and how best to communicate with others about this condition.