1% Thursday: Lights Out

It’s no secret that people having a migraine attack usually want to retreat to a very dark room.  Even a tiny bit of light seeping in under the door can make the pain worse.

But even when you’re not in the middle of an actual attack, your body needs a break from light – a time away.  Sometimes our houses are so busy that there’s always a nightlight, lights from outside, lights from electronics – and we never really get to rest in a dark room.

Your body needs that rest.  Recent research has suggested that even a dim light can cause changes in your brain, change your sleep cycle, and put you in a worse mood the next day.

Not only that – some studies suggest that a little light could result in higher body weight.  And less sleep can do the same thing!  If you want to lose weight – get a full night’s sleep in a dark room!

These changes in the brain are related to migraine and cluster headache especially, and most likely they’ll impact headaches such as tension type headache.

So check out your bedroom, and consider heavier curtains, changing that nightlight for a flashlight by the bed, and cutting down that light from the hallway.  Over time, you may find yourself that much healthier.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better.  Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge.  Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!