Reference

Common migraine triggers people track

There is no universal list of migraine triggers — the same factor can matter for one person and not another. That is exactly why tracking in a headache diary is useful: instead of guessing, you record what a day looked like and whether a migraine followed, and patterns emerge from your own data over weeks.

Important: an apparent association in your diary does not prove that a factor causes your migraines. Use your log as a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not as a diagnosis.

Food & drink

4 factors

Caffeine

Coffee, tea, energy drinks

Alcohol

Any alcoholic drink

Dehydration

Drank less water than usual

Skipped meals

Delayed or missed eating

Body & rhythm

3 factors

Sleep change

Too little, too much, or shifted schedule

Stress

Work, personal, or physical tension

Menstrual cycle

Period or hormonal phase

Environment

5 factors

Weather change

Storms, pressure or temperature shifts

Extra screen time

Longer than usual screens

Bright / flickering light

Sun glare, fluorescents, strobe

Strong smells

Perfume, smoke, chemicals

Intense exercise

Unusually hard workout or exertion

Track yours in 10 seconds a day

TrueTrigger gives you a daily check-in with these factors pre-built — free, no account, data stays in your browser.

Start a daily check-in