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Best Lighting for Reducing Migraines

Angela Rogers

Woman suffering from migraine pain.

Did you know that more than 39 million Americans suffer from migraines? This means that 1 in every 4 households has a family member who deals with migraines. These intense headaches have a range of symptoms, including light and sound sensitivity, visual auras, nausea and vomiting, and throbbing head pain, making them debilitating for many.

More Statistics: Between 3 and 5% of the US population have chronic migraines, and women are three times more prone to migraine attacks than men.

If you've ever experienced a migraine attack, you know how awful they can be. While there are many treatments such as medication and preventative injections, it's not always enough to help reduce or stop migraines altogether. One of the first things your doctor will have you do is to identify what triggers migraines. This could be stress, foods, and even caffeine withdrawal. But for many, myself included, lighting is a main cause. In this post, we'll take a look at how lighting can affect migraines and what lighting can be used to reduce migraines.

How Does Light Affect Migraines?

If you've read any of our blogs, you know that light can affect moods, productivity, and even how spaces or objects appear. For instance, furniture and decor with earth tones look better in warmer light, while you might need at brighter, more blue light in an office to increase concentration. However, if you have light sensitivity, certain types of light can also trigger painful migraines.

Also called photophobia, light sensitivity is essentially an intolerance to bright light. Think back to a time when a very bright light was shown into your eyes. Maybe it was a table lamp turning on unexpectedly while changing a bulb, a flashlight beam hitting your face, or even someone flashing their high-beams at you while driving at night. You probably experienced a momentary pain in your eyes.

For most, this discomfort fades within seconds and is quickly forgotten. For others, the pain can linger and eventually build into a migraine. The brighter the light, to worse the reaction.

Lighting to Avoid

If you suffer from light sensitivity, there are certain types of lighting you should try to avoid. The first is certain LED lights. Several years ago, we discussed why LED lights appear so much brighter than incandescent lights. LEDs appear brighter overall because they don't loose most of their light output as heat the way that incandescents do. For people already prone to light sensitivity, the light from LEDs (especially those in the 4000K and higher range) can be unbearably bright. This is why many people still prefer incandescent lights, as they are good choice for people with sensitivity to light. There are some workarounds for LEDs, which we will discuss a little later.

Fluorescent lighting is another type that can trigger migraines. These lights produce a lot of blue light, which is known to cause eye pain and can even lead to vision problems later in life. Fluorescents often appear harsh and overly bright depending on the color temperature. I personally have a hard time with them because they almost always appear to be flickering.

Natural light sits in a bit of a gray area. Now, if you were to go out during midday and look up, you are probably going to get a headache. Hot, sunny days can also lead to migraines due to brightness and dehydration. However, in certain situations, sunlight can actually help. We'll discuss that in just a bit.

Strobe lights and flickering lights should definitely be avoided, as the rapid cycling between brightness levels can quickly set off a migraine. Bulbs with higher color temperatures can also pose problems, as bulbs in the 4000K range and higher gradually become cooler and more blue.

What Lighting is Best for Reducing Migraines?

The avoid list is pretty big and it seems like it's hitting every major type of lighting. But don't be discouraged. There are still plenty of different types of lighting that won't trigger migraines. Let's take a look at which lighting is best for reducing migraines.

Warm Lighting

Warm lighting is one of the best options for reducing migraines. As mentioned earlier, incandescent bulbs are the most popular choice. Though many less efficient incandescents have been banned, you can still find standard, decorative, and ceiling fan bulbs that meet the current efficiency requirements. Vintage light bulbs are exempt from the ban and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Warm white LED bulbs are another good choice, especially for those who live in places where LED lighting is required. These bulbs are designed to closely match the color of incandescent bulbs and can range from 2400 to 2700K. Just be sure to pay close attention to the number of lumens. You may also want to look for dimmable LEDs as well. LED antique bulbs are another option. Many of these bulbs fall within the 2200 to 2700K range as they are designed to mimic the look of turn-of-the-century lighting. I recommend looking at bulbs with an amber finish. This further diffuses the light and gives them a very warm glow.

Lighting Tip: Color selectable LED bulbs are a newer options that allows you to change the color temperature by sliding a switch on the bulb.

Dimmable LEDs

LED dimmer switch

You next best overall option is using dimamble LEDs. Dimming will cut the light output down to more manageable levels. There are two distinct types of dimmable LED lights: bulbs with standard dimming and bulbs with warm dimming. Bulbs with standard dimming will be able to dim down to a certain percent depending on the dimmer they paired with. Warm dim LED bulbs work a little differently. When dimmed, both the output and color temperature change. Most warm dim bulbs go from 3200K down to 1800K.

Lighting Tip: It's important to note that dimmable LED lights can only be dimmed with select LED dimmer and will not work with incandescent dimmers. Make sure to check the dimmer compatibility list for each bulb.

Smart Lighting

Smart lighting is my personal favorite and I use smart bulbs in various rooms throughout my home. These LED lights don't require installing or replacing dimmers. All you need is WiFi and a phone app. Depending on the specific bulb, you can easily adjust brightness, color temperature, and even choose from preset scenes. I typically choose the warmest light setting then adjust the brightness as needed.

Natural Light

Adding natural lighting can help breakup any light that's causing migraines. Natural light is light that comes from the sun and its the standard that we base all artificial light off of. Natural lighting provides perfect color rendering, reduces eyestrain, and has been shown to help improve both mood and productivity. It is also less harsh on your eyes than artificial lighting.

Back when I had an office space with windows, I was able to use mini blinds to direct light upwards toward the ceiling as indirect light. This lit the room far better than the overhead ceiling lights with far less glare, resulting in fewer migraines.

Lighting Tip: Natural lighting is dynamic, meaning it will change through the day. On days that sunlight isn't bright enough to be the primary light source, use warm lighting to make up the difference.

Green Light Therapy

Woman using green light therapy for migraine prevention.

Green light therapy is a new approach to preventing migraines. Similar to light therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this therapy uses a specific wavelength and intensity of green light to reduce the number of migraines. According to researchers at the University of Arizona Health Services, they saw monthly headache days drop by about 60% during one of their studies. This therapy is aimed at patients who have not had success using other traditional migraine treatments and therapies.

Non-lighting Solutions

There are going to be times when adjusting the lighting isn't an option. Maybe you are at work, out shopping, or you are already experiencing a migraine attack. Here are some non-lighting solutions that can help.

  • Glass with lenses that adjust to light - Transitional lenses have been a lifesaver for me. These lenses darken depending on the brightness of the surrounding light, almost acting like a dimmer switch. They are especially useful in the office for cutting down the glare from both my monitors and overhead lighting.

  • Blue light filtering glasses - Glasses that filter out blue light are a popular solution for anyone who spends most of their day in front of digital screens or works in a space still using flourescents. While studies on the effectiveness blue light lenses have been inconclusive, they do work for some and are worth a try.

  • Blackout curtains - When you are in the midst of a migraine, sometimes the best treatment is to be in a dark space or room. Blackout curtains ensure that no light is going to come in from outside.

  • Sleep mask - If you don't have blackout curtains, a sleep mask is the next best solution. They will cover your eyes and block out most of the light.

  • Caffeinated drinks - Some migraines can be triggered by caffeine withdrawal. Drinking a caffeinated beverage, such as coffee, soda, or tea, can help alleviate that and help keep a a migraine from fully forming. I've used this method many times and it does help.

By making these changes your lighting, you can reduce your migraines. The results will vary depending on the person, but it does help a great deal. If you suffer from migraines, what do you do to help reduce or alleviate them? Leave your tips in the comments below. And if you need help finding the right lighting for your home or business, speak with one of our product experts at 1-800-624-4488 today.

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