If you’ve ever had a migraine, you know it’s not just a headache; it’s a full-body experience. 

The pain can be deep and pulsating, often lasting for days and accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light, and even visual disturbances.¹ Research shows that migraines occur when certain triggers set off nerve signals, which then prompt immune cells to release inflammatory compounds. In people who get migraines, this activates an immune response, leading to the release of histamine from these cells. In turn, blood vessels dilate, causing migraine and headache symptoms.

In people prone to migraines, this chain reaction can spread widely, changing brain chemistry, balance and blood flow. That’s why migraine attacks often leave you completely drained, forcing you to retreat to a dark, quiet room until your brain recovers its balance.²,³

While migraines are complex, we still don’t fully understand what triggers them or makes them worse. Several factors can affect how often and how severe chronic migraines become. This article explains five common triggers and how targeted supplements and lifestyle changes may help.

Trigger 1: When Your Brain Runs Low on Fuel

In people who get migraines, keeping your brain’s energy supply steady can potentially limit the chronic nature of migraine attacks. Stable levels of two key energy nutrients, glucose and oxygen, may help limit the impact of migraines.⁴,⁵

Glucose is your body’s main source of fuel, and how steadily it’s supplied depends on your diet and how well your body processes it. Sudden spikes and crashes in blood sugar, or reduced sensitivity to insulin (insulin resistance), can cause your brain’s energy levels to drop, which is linked to migraines.⁴,⁵

Oxygen is just as important, even though we rarely think about it. Low oxygen levels can develop slowly and go unnoticed, and have been observed to trigger migraines.⁶ This can happen at high altitudes, with changes in air humidity, or when oxygen delivery is reduced, for example, from low iron⁷ (needed to carry oxygen in red blood cells) or certain thyroid issues,⁸ both of which can slow oxygen uptake and transport.

This means that keeping the brain’s energy supply steady and fixing any problems that affect it may help address underlying factors that contribute to chronic migraines.

Solution: How Can I Support Brain Energy?

• Eat a balanced diet with fibre-rich carbs, healthy fats, and protein to keep blood sugar steady.
• Tackle factors that disrupt the balance of glucose and insulin, such as high cortisol from unmanaged stress or poor sleep.
• Work with a Healthcare Practitioner to check if you need support for issues like insulin resistance, low iron, or thyroid problems.

Sometimes this factor can be a combination of events that leads to the ‘perfect storm’, or the ‘final straw’ for a migraine to take place, so it’s worth considering.

Trigger 2: Sensitive Immune Cells That Kick-Start Migraines

Your brain has special immune cells called glial cells, and they’re key players in migraines. When pain hits hard or keeps coming back, glial cells can overreact, triggering inflammation that sparks a migraine.⁹ The good news? A natural ingredient known as palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), can calm your glial cells and help stop migraines before they start.

Solution: Curb Your Pain-Sensitive Immune Cells

PainX Headache & Migraine contains palmitoylethanolamide (PEA). This natural compound helps calm glial cells, basically telling your body to “hold its horses” before it sets off a migraine. In studies, 600mg of PEA with Levagen+ is a game changer, shown to¹⁰:

•    Reduce migraine pain from 5.5/10 to 3/10 within 90 minutes.
•    Helped 9 out of 10 people feel relief within 2 hours.
•    Improved headache scores by 85%.

Tip: If you’re new to PEA, consider trying it to see if it can help reduce both the frequency and intensity of migraines before they even begin.

Trigger 3: Hormonal Fluctuations and Migraines Related to Your Menstrual Cycle

Migraines hit women two to three times more than men.¹ In Australia, 1 in 3 women get them, and many women might have sneaky, undiagnosed symptoms.¹¹ Hormonal fluctuations, particularly those linked to women’s reproductive hormones, are a key factor influencing migraine frequency.

Oestrogen can increase activity in the trigeminal nerve, the main nerve that carries pain signals from the face and head, while progesterone helps calm down pain signals.¹²,¹³ During perimenopause, oestrogen levels swing wildly and progesterone drops, making migraine episodes more frequent and intense.¹⁴

Solution: Explore And Optimise Hormonal Balance

• Track your cycle and work with a Healthcare Practitioner to understand your unique hormonal patterns and how they might relate to symptoms.
• Try adding soy-based foods to your diet, which can gently support oestrogen receptors and help smooth out hormone fluctuations if they’re causing issues.
• One study found that a supplement that was equivalent to eating half a cup of edamame daily for eight weeks reduced migraine duration by around three hours and improved quality of life for women in their 30s.¹⁵

Trigger 4: Stress and Sleep Disruption, and Migraines

Stress and poor sleep are like fuel and a flame. When combined, they ignite migraine flare-ups, activating inflammation in the brain.¹⁶ Stress activates your body’s stress response, increasing hormones like cortisol and lowering calming neurotransmitters like GABA, which makes pain feel more intense. Poor sleep then disrupts melatonin production, which further increases pain sensitivity.¹⁷⁻¹⁹

Low melatonin is a key link between stress, sleep issues, and migraines. Since melatonin peaks after 11 pm during deep sleep, missing out on this cycle makes migraines more likely, as explained further in this article.

Solutions: Double Down on Stress Management and Sleep Support

• Support your sleep routine with calming habits and supplements, like NeuroCalm Sleep Tablets, or SleepX Powder.
• Avoid caffeine late in the day and limit daytime naps.
  

For more information, explore these articles on sleep support and stress management to break the cycle of migraines, poor sleep, and high stress.

5. Diet, Histamine Sensitivity, and Nutrient Support for Migraines

Certain foods can also contribute to migraines.²⁰ High-histamine foods, such as aged cheese, chocolate, citrus, and alcohol, can trigger inflammation in the brain. Additives, preservatives, and nitrates are also common culprits. At the same time, nutrient deficiencies can make your brain more prone to migraines. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in OmegaGenics EPA/DHA Fish Oil, act like the brain’s “peacekeepers,” helping to calm inflammation, support blood vessels, and regulate the nervous system.

In 40 clinical trials, high-dose EPA/DHA reduced migraine frequency and severity more effectively than many medications.²¹

Solutions: Track and Manage Diet Triggers and Supplement Omega 3

• Use a migraine tracker app like Migraine Buddy or keep a headache diary to identify food-related patterns and other triggers.
• Work with a Healthcare Practitioner to create a personalised nutrition plan that addresses diet and nutrient needs.
• Consider pairing a high-quality omega-3 supplement, such as OmegaGenics EPA/DHA Fish Oil, with PainX Headache & Migraine as part of migraine prevention and management.

Take Control of Your Migraines: Know Your Triggers, Calm Your Brain

Migraines aren’t just headaches; they can take over your whole day. Thankfully, you can fight back. Keep your brain fueled, calm overactive immune cells, balance hormones, manage stress and sleep, and consider if your diet is linked to your symptoms. Supplements like PainX Headache & Migraine and OmegaGenics EPA/DHA Fish Oil can help too. By paying attention to your triggers and tackling the root causes with a Healthcare Practitioner, you can help manage migraines before they get a chance to strike.

References:

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