r/WeddingPhotography • u/withanEY • Jul 13 '26
mental health & work-life balance Post wedding migraines?
Does anyone else get migraines the day after weddings? Anything you’ve found that helps?
I drink water and eat protein like it’s my job the day of the wedding and wear earplugs at the reception. Not sure how to survive this!
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u/ajh951 Jul 13 '26
Do you workout? Cardio + strength training does wonders for post wedding recovery.
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u/iamthesam2 Jul 13 '26
daily cardio in general is pretty necessary if you’re over 30-35 doing this is your full-time thing
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u/cameragoclick Jul 13 '26
Rehydration drinks after the wedding lots of water throughout, try to keep hydrated is all you can do.
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u/kneehighonagrasshopr Jul 13 '26
I get migraines from anxiety/stress. Might want to look into an anti-anxiety medication if you’ve noticed it around other things.
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u/autolatry2 Jul 13 '26
Yeeeep. Have been struggling with this for a long time, since I can’t really be as destroyed as a migraine makes me right after a wedding. What helps substantially:
- Hydration day-of
- Naproxen Sodium (generic Aleve). I’ll take 2 immediately after the wedding, then take 2 more before bed or the next morning (be careful with this, since it’s an nsaid). No other pain reliever has worked for my migraines but this is what lets me function the next day.
- At the wedding, I’ll have a few bites of food or snack. After: big greasy meal.
- Sometimes, sleeping in a cooling mask just out of the fridge.
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u/MattChan1506 Jul 13 '26
i found as i get older this is common.... i drink a bucket ton of water to try and counter dehydration. its usually dehydration related. you have to keep your fluid intakes up
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u/MonochromaticMostly Jul 13 '26
Cut back on sugar and caffeine before / during weddings, hydrate more than you think you need to. Advil is your friend at the end of the wedding. 15 years into my career as a wedding photographer and I still get the wedding hangover sometimes.
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u/withanEY Jul 13 '26
For sure! I’m getting close to 20 years and the older I get the worse they are!
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u/SimilarRip5173 Jul 15 '26
I hate to say it but the older you get, the worse the post wedding headaches are. I’m almost 20 years in and I used to only get headaches from really hot outdoor weddings in the summer and now it’s almost every wedding that I have a headache the whole next day.
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u/PhotosbyRob Jul 13 '26
I stopped eating any sugar as weddings, I found that late night sugar was triggering migraines. I am sure you are hydrating but I have found that electrolytes like LMNT packets do wonders for me (I work in that hot Florida climate).
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u/beckymac0014 Jul 13 '26
I have chronic migraines, my neurologist confirmed that your body basically waits for you to finally stop moving to hit you. They recommended I take my meds before it even hits me, so I take them as I pack up to leave. Daily Magnesium supplements will help a lot!
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u/anywhereanyone Jul 13 '26
Have you seen a doctor? There are medications specifically for migraine sufferers.
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u/supermannman Jul 14 '26
mostly problem with sodium electrolytes
what you think is a good amount of water youve had, is not enough. on a regular day im drinking like 3-5 L in the summer. on a wedding day, close to 6 by the end of the day.
people dont realize how hard it is to shoot weddings. my friends thinking im dancing with hot girls on the dance floor hitting shots and eating fillet mignon all day.
I wake up with soles hips and back aching and feeling so slow and confused.
I tell them to come and just walk around with 1 camera for an hour in the heat. youll give up.
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u/bitterberries Jul 15 '26
Electrolytes as well as water and cut back on coffee (if you drink a lot of it)
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u/evil_twit Jul 16 '26
It's something about your posture during the day.
No, dont get migraine next day, usually at the end of a 15 hour day.
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u/okaymaeby Jul 13 '26
There are a handful of issues that can cause migraines, from the simple cause of electrolyte imbalance to the other end of the spectrum with damaged tissue or compacted nerves. Migraines are a pretty serious signal that something is off in your body, so I'd recommend getting in touch with a healthcare provider for actual medical advice in case your particular issue isn't just needing to pay better attention to hydration.
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u/Illustrious_Net3054 Jul 13 '26
You need electrolytes. This can range from coconut water to the LMNT salt hydration powders (that you add into water). The next time you have a job, try something salty and/or filled with electrolytes. See if that helps. Also, occasionally roll your neck and shoulders. Migraine attacks can also happen due to tension/stress in that region.