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*Disclaimer: This article and its survey findings were made possible by Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., the makers of Excedrin® Migraine. Respondents of the survey were diagnosed migraine sufferers. See your doctor for diagnosis of migraines and migraine treatment options.
Long hours in the library. Not enough sleep. Staring at the computer screen. Lack of physical activity. Deadlines, exams, and group projects. Does that sound familiar, collegiettes?
College life can be demanding and stressful, so it’s no surprise that students’ health starts to fall by the wayside as the semester ticks on.
We overload on sugar, processed food, and often make poor diet choices when our bodies need water, fruits and vegetables. We stay up all night studying when it would be more beneficial to catch a few hours of shut-eye. When we do have some downtime, we open Netflix instead of hitting the gym.
While the lifestyles of today’s college students certainly can contribute to weight gain, high blood pressure and cholesterol, another serious condition that we don’t often recognize or talk about are migraines.
Migraines are a serious condition and for those that suffer, daily tasks can become major obstacles. Did you know that out of 1,000 millennial migraine sufferers surveyed, 88 percent said that only other sufferers understand what they go through? The lack of open conversation around the condition is one of the many things the makers of Excedrin® Migraine uncovered through the Millennial Migraine Report.
If you have never had a migraine, you may not understand how debilitating they can be. A surprising 71 percent of millennials surveyed say they would give up their favorite pair of jeans to never have a migraine again and 62 percent would give up social media.
Another startling fact about migraines is that they do not just impact the person getting them; they affect a significant number of people close to the sufferer. Of the sufferers surveyed, 40 percent say it impacts their family life; 27 percent say it impacts their relationship with their partner; and 21 percent say it impacts their friendships.
With all the negative effects of migraines, one might think that sufferers do everything they can to better manage them—namely, by reducing the stress in their lives. However, only half of the millennial sufferers attempt to reduce their stress, which can trigger migraines.
Reducing stress in college is unfortunately easier said than done – just 62 percent of millennials surveyed make sure they get enough sleep; only 34 percent practice relaxation methods; and a mere 36 percent exercise regularly to avoid migraines!
While adequate sleep, relaxation, and exercise can help manage migraines, there are smartphone apps that can help too, but only 10 percent of millennial migraine sufferers take advantage of these apps, which is quite surprising considering we are never far from our Twitter or Instagram feed.
If you suffer from migraines, you might want to ask yourself, “Are you doing everything you can to manage your migraines?”
Having a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, implementing a consistent exercise routine, getting regular sleep, and limiting your exposure to phones, laptops, and TVs are all ways you can manage your triggers and reduce the frequency of your migraines.
If you suffer from migraines, here are some tips and resources to check out:
· Have more open and honest conversations about migraines, how they come up and why you shouldn’t feel alone if you suffer them.
· Download the My Migraine Triggers™ app from the makers of Excedrin® Migraine. It’s easy-to-use and you can print a log or share it with your doctor right from your iPhone. It’s free and available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
· Finally, visit Excedrin.com/stories for more stats from the Millennial Migraine Report and for more information on managing migraines.
College is stressful enough without having to suffer from health conditions like migraines. If you suffer from migraines, there are numerous ways to manage them, but it’s up to you to take the first step!