Migraines at work – how to halt the headache

In the UK there are an estimated 190,000 people who get migraines.

Migraines are excruciatingly painful and can be a common ailment to many on a daily basis. If this is the case, it is important for individuals to try and figure out what triggers their migraine. A good tip for trying to figuring it out is noting down every time you have a headache. For example, make a note of where you are, and what you are doing, and if you have eaten anything, this can help you pinpoint the exact cause of a migraine.

At work, migraines can be caused by a variety of ergonomic issues, such as the lighting of your computer screen or office, or the temperature of your workplace.

6 ways to avoid a migraine at work:

1. Drink more water and avoid caffeine.
2. Stop working at your computer and sit with your eyes closed for a couple of minutes or go to a dark room.
3. Set your computer screen to a correct height. If you are looking too far down or up then this could cause strain to the eyes and therefore lead to a migraine.
4. Loud noises can often cause migraines, if this is the case, take regular breaks away from your work area.
5. If you work directly under a bright room light then it could be worth asking to move desks to a more dim area of the office.
6. A stressful situation at work may cause a migraine, if so, take yourself away from the situation and relax. Stress may also come from being unorganised, if this is the case take yourself away from your workstation and schedule your tasks in a way that’s best for you.

It’s important to note that these tips can be very useful to prevent or ease migraines, however, if migraines are recurring then making an appointment at your GP could be worthwhile.

DSE Assessments

If it is your workstation setup that seems to be causing your migraines, then our DSE Assessments can help you identify any issues with current setups or identify specific products that may allow DSE related issues to be resolved.