Many woman find that migraines form part of premenstrual syndrome due to the hormonal changes taking place each month. Womens hormone levels change constantly throughout their reproductive lives, and this could be why more women than men suffer from migraines.
Certain foods such as chocolates, cheese, fortified wine like sherry or port and caffeine may trigger a migraine. Missing meals can cause a drop in blood sugar levels which can also trigger an attack.
A period of stress is often followed by a migraine - usually when you are beginning to unwind. If you have a very stressfull job or busy lifestyle you can often have 'weekend' or 'holiday migraine'.
Can lack of sleep be a trigger?
An irregular sleeping pattern is a common caue of migraines. Lie ins and lots of sleep on the weekend are usually perceived as a good thing, but in reality can be as much of a trigger as lack of sleep.
Travel, weather changes, hormonal factors, loud noise, bright or flickering lights, TV and cinema and storng smells have all been known to trigger migraines.