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It’s Migraine Awareness Week here in the UK.
Migraine affects around one in seven of us at some point in our lives – over a billion people worldwide.
This chronic condition causes debilitating headaches alongside difficulty focusing, nausea, problems with vision and extreme sensitivity to light, sound and smell – Migraine. Research over the past decade estimated the cost to American employers at around $13 billion and E27 billion from days off work (an average of 4.4 per employee) and, more significantly, 11.4 days per year in presenteeism – employees coming into work but struggling to get any work done – Migraines Are a Serious Problem. Employers Can Help.
So what’s that got to do with the lights?
Photophobia, or hypersensitivity to light is a common symptom, with some experiencing aura, or visual disturbance – blurred or double vision. Most people simply head for a dark room and wait for the pain to pass. Large-scale studies confirm that this group has a lower threshold for light stimulus and high-contrast patterns, tracing that sensitivity to a set of nerves that link the eye to the brain stem – Migraine and the Environment.
The problem is that migraineurs with photophobia may not get enough light during the day to set their body clocks – this group is at higher risk of poor-quality sleep and insomnia than those who suffer from migraine without that light sensitive component. Lack of sleep lowers the pain threshold and depresses mood, compounding the issue. This paper suggests that finding ways to boost circadian entrainment – sunlight early in the day before it gets too bright, softer evening light and a cool, dark place to sleep could help to break the vicious cycle – Photophobia is associated with lower sleep quality in individuals with migraine: results from the American Registry for Migraine Research (ARMR).
Blast of optimism
If you need some proof there are good people out there, tune in tomorrow afternoon online for this rare chance to hear from scientists and care home providers who are making the world a better place – Eventbrite.
Hot and healthy
If you’re at the check-out with a frozen ready-meal that’s a bit healthier than your usual choice, take a look at the photo on the package.
Is there steam rising from the dish?
The brand may have leveraged the latest research that shows that we believe a frozen meal is tastier and fresher and we’re even willing to pay more if it looks piping hot. Interestingly, this effect seems stronger in plant-based meals than meat-based ones.
The question is whether you can get the kids to eat it too! – Ready meals that look hot increase consumer’s willingness to pay for plant-based options.
Moths don’t fly into the flame…
If you’re camping out or leave a window open at night, you might notice a cloud of insects attracted to the light.
You might think they’re flying directly at it – but take a closer look.
It turns out they’re not flying into the light, they’re flying around it – Why Flying Insects Gather.
They evolved to orient themselves relative to the sun – to have it shining on their backs.
But when they keep their back to an artificial light, that locks them into a loop.
So close the curtains or switch off the light, and let them get back into level flight – and do your body clock a favour too!