One way to improve headache control is by removing aggravating factors in our lifestyles. The overall objective is to make life as smooth and predictable as possible. Several factors are particularly noteworthy:

STRESS - Though avoiding all bad stress is impossible, we can still try to reduce it's influence on headache. Stress from confrontation is a commonly described example of stress producing acute headache response. Not all stress produces headache and not all headaches are due to stress. Chronic, long-term stress can produce headaches over the long run. Examples include people with unsatisfactory jobs or difficult interpersonal relationships.

SLEEP SCHEDULE - Waking and sleeping times can be critical. Sleep deprivation is a common headache trigger, as is oversleeping. To make it more complicated, many people with poorly controlled headache disorders have a lot of trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep.

MEALTIMES - Besides what you eat, another eating issue to consider is the regularity of meals. Skipped meals or irregular eating schedules can sometimes increase the likelihood of headaches. There are times when glucose loading or missed meals will produce a relative drop in blood sugar levels and a headache can develop.

HABITS - Smoking cigarettes or being with smokers can increase your chance for a headache. Although cessation of smoking is not a guarantee that headaches will stop, it will be easier to get the headaches under control without the additional trigger of the smoke, the impurities and the carbon monoxide levels found in the blood of all smokers. Drinking alcohol is another habit that can adversely affect the headaches in several ways. Alcohol itself can be a trigger and excess use can produce the classical "morning after" headaches. You must also consider that it may interfere with the proper absorption of headache preventative medications and can be very dangerous.