Why Weather Changes Trigger Migraines – Expert Explains

“Is it just me, or is there a storm coming?”

If you are one of the 39 million Americans living with migraines, you might experience a severe headache when the weather shifts. This is not uncommon. Studies show that 30% to 50% of people with migraines identify some type of weather change as a trigger, making it the most commonly reported migraine source.

Despite this, why certain individuals are more sensitive to these changes remains puzzling.

Some People Are More Sensitive to Weather

As a neurologist and headache specialist in Colorado, where weather shifts are frequent, patients often tell me that weather is one of their biggest migraine triggers. The effects can disrupt work, school, and social plans, causing feelings of helplessness.

The exact reasons why some brains are more sensitive to environmental changes remain unclear. However, it’s known that people with migraines have particularly sensitive nervous systems, and certain environmental changes—such as shifts in air pressure, temperature, humidity, and air quality—can activate pain pathways in the brain.

Key Ways Weather Can Trigger Migraines

Weather triggers can vary from person to person, but here are a few common culprits:

Barometric Pressure Changes, or changes in atmospheric pressure, are among the most commonly cited triggers. When a storm system moves in, air pressure drops. Some scientists believe this may affect the internal pressure of your head or how blood vessels in your brain dilate and constrict.

The theory is that changes in barometric pressure might cause a small imbalance between the inside of your skull and the outside environment. This could directly stimulate pain-sensitive nerves, leading to inflammation and the start of a migraine.

Others point to inflammation, how the brain processes sensory input, and changes in serotonin levels, which play a key role in activating migraines.

Temperature Extremes, with very hot or very cold days, or sudden changes in temperature, can disrupt the body’s internal balance. High humidity or rapid shifts in moisture levels can have a similar effect.

Air Pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide can cause inflammation in the nerves that play a role in migraines.

Bright Sunlight can be especially bothersome, likely due to heightened sensitivity to light and an overactive visual processing system in the brain.

Lightning and Strong Winds may also be linked to migraine attacks in certain individuals.

In short, weather changes can act as stressors on a brain that’s already wired to be more sensitive. The exact triggers and responses vary from person to person, but the research suggests that the interaction between weather and our biology plays a significant role for some patients with migraines.

Steps You Can Take to Reduce the Pain

You can’t change the weather, but you can be proactive. Here are a few tips to help mitigate the effects:

1. Track your migraines and watch the forecast: Use a migraine diary or app to track when attacks occur, along with weather conditions. Patterns may emerge that will allow you to adjust your schedule or medication plan.

2. Develop healthy eating, sleeping, and exercise habits: Dehydration, poor sleep, and skipped meals can magnify the effects of weather triggers. Keeping your body on an even keel helps reduce vulnerability. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can also help.

3. Create a migraine-friendly environment: On days when the sun is harsh or the humidity is high, stay inside. Sunglasses, eye masks, or blue-light glasses can be helpful. Some people find that certain earplugs are effective in reducing pressure changes felt in the middle ear.

4. Try meditation, mindfulness techniques, or biofeedback, which teaches people to moderate their physiological responses. These strategies can help your nervous system become less reactive over time, especially when dealing with uncontrollable triggers like weather.

5. Consider pretreatment: If you know a storm is likely to trigger your migraines, keep rescue medications close by or even preemptively treat yourself during weather events.

6. Look into preventive treatment: If weather triggers frequent migraines, talk to your healthcare provider about preventive treatments, which can be used on a regular basis to reduce migraine occurrence.

The Bigger Picture

While weather can be a trigger, it’s rarely the only one. Migraine is usually the result of a perfect storm of factors: genetic susceptibility, hormones, stress, sleep, food, and yes, the weather.

Identifying your personal triggers and building a plan with the support of a medical provider can make a big difference in managing migraines.

Weather-related migraine can be one of the most frustrating triggers because it feels completely out of your hands. However, with knowledge, tracking, and the right treatment strategies, you can take back a sense of control.