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Take Control: Managing Your Seizure Triggers ⚠️

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What are seizure triggers? 💡

Even though you may not know when a seizure will happen, you can look at whether there are situations (so called "triggers") that can provoke your seizures.
You can use this information to make changes and help you get better seizure control. This seizure diary can help you identify your triggers. 

Most common seizure triggers and tips to manage them ✏️

Common triggers can be missing your medication, not sleeping enough, being stressed, consuming alcohol or other recreational drugs and, in some cases, flashing lights. 
You can follow some tips to reduce your exposure to triggers and modify your lifestyle appropriately. Before trying these tips, make sure you've talked to your doctor and other health care professionals for their suggestions too. 
  • Remember to always take your epilepsy medicine.
  • Have a good and consistent sleep routine and try to get enough sleep.
  • Try to reduce your stress.
  • Limit how much alcohol you drink.
  • Have a well-balanced diet and eat at consistent times to avoid long periods without food.

Fever and Infections as a trigger 🤒

Being sick with some type of acute infection (with or without fever)  is a common seizure trigger in people with epilepsy. 
The seizures could be triggered by the physical stress of being sick or for example getting dehydrated if you aren't eating or drinking well.
Take good care of yourself. When you are sick, drink plenty of fluids, eat as best you can, take recommended medicines to treat a fever, and get rest.

Counting sheep: How to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene to Reduce Seizure Triggers 🐑 🐑 🐑

Seizures are very sensitive to sleep patterns. Lack of good sleep can make you more likely to have seizures, it could even make your seizures longer and more intense. 
Here are some tips to improve your sleep:

  • Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule.
  • Keeping a regular wake up time is very helpful.
  • Create a bedtime routine
  • Exercise regularly, but avoid vigorous exercise right before bedtime.
  • Consider meditation or a form of relaxing exercises before bedtime.
  • Make sure your sleeping environment is quiet and dark.


Reducing Seizure Triggers by Managing Stress 😟 

Stress can be a triggering factor for many people living with epilepsy.
Here are some tips to manage stress and epilepsy:

  • Try to avoid stressful situations if you can.
  • When a stressful situation is unavoidable, make sure you are doing your best to get enough sleep, stay hydrated and take your seizure medications.
  • Exercise regularly. Lots of research has shown that exercise helps lower stress.
  • Do your best to relax. Consider meditation, yoga, a massage, a nap, or controlled breathing techniques.
  • Keep to a daily routine. Don’t exhaust yourself and take frequent breaks.

 

WE DO NOT PRACTICE MEDICINE OR PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES. WE DO NOT PRACTICE MEDICINE. OUR APP IS NOT A MEDICAL DEVICE AND HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR CERTIFIED BY THE FDA OR BY ANY OTHER LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL REGULATORY BODY. MELLOW CANNOT PREDICT OR PREVENT SEIZURES AND IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY CONDITION OR DISEASE. OUR SERVICE AND APPS ARE NOT INTENDED AND SHOULD NOT BE USED IN PLACE OF A VISIT, CALL, OR CONSULTATION WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR ANY OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.