Keeping a Migraine Diary
There was a point in my life where my migraines were out of control. Nobody told me to keep track of anything, even my doctor. It started small, tracking what I ate and the ingredients in my food led me to discover my food triggers. This made me want to know what else might be triggering them.

I found an excellent way to learn more about my migraines was to keep a migraine diary using a notebook. (Apps weren’t even a thing back then.) It was simple to begin with and I got more detailed as I started to figure things out. I noticed when I was dehydrated, the attacks were more frequent. When work was particularly stressful, I always had a weekend migraine. Very unfair.
A simple, straightforward diary can be helpful, but the more detailed you are, the more likely you are to discover patterns. Do you get a migraine when you eat a certain food? When a big storm is coming or when you haven’t gotten enough sleep?
Keep your diary with you at all times. Write down everything, no matter how small and do it now - don't depend on your memory.
Some things to track
How long you sleep. Is it restless or solid?
What you eat and when. Do you skip meals?
How much water you drink
Date and time you had a headache/migraine and how long did it last?
What did the head pain feel like? Throbbing, stabbing or a sharp sensation?
Where was the pain located? Is it located on one side of your head, on the top, on your forehead, or behind one eye?
What symptoms did you experience before, during and after the head pain?
What do you think triggered your migraine?
What were you doing right before the migraine started?
What was going on in your environment before the migraine? Was it very hot? Was there a storm coming? Was it very noisy?
I hope you will find as much success as I did in using this method. While there are now apps to track everything, a simple spreadsheet or notebook will do just as well.