Epilepsy - Causes
Possible causes of seizures - the triggers
Most seizures strike completely out of the blue. However some of us can pinpoint certain factors which spark them off.
These include:
- Alcohol - excess alcohol can trigger a seizure - even in people without epilepsy.
- Stress - some of us experience more seizures during periods of anxiety or stress. This may be partly because sleep patterns can be upset at such times. Some stress is part of everyday life - it's best to find ways to manage it, rather than trying to avoid it altogether.
- Patterns of light - many people believe that watching TV or playing video games can trigger a seizure. This is true in a few people who are photosensitive (sensitive to flickering light), though it's far less common than most people imagine. In fact only about five per cent of people with epilepsy are affected in this way.
- Late nights & lack of sleep - too many late nights or going without sleep (e.g. if you work shifts or travel across time zones) can trigger seizures. The odd late night shouldn't matter much, but it is best to try to keep regular hours. Experience will teach you what best suits you.
- Illness - a high temperature (fever) can bring on seizures if we're ill. This is probably because it lowers our seizure threshold.
- Hormones - many women report that their seizures are linked to their menstrual cycle - though no one really knows why. They tend to happen in the week before or first few days of your your period. Ask your doctor or medical specialist for advice if you are affected in this way.
- Food - some people with epilepsy claim that certain foods trigger seizures. Apart from some severe types of childhood epilepsy there's no evidence to suggest that what you eat can bring on seizures. However, skipping meals and eating an unbalanced diet may be a factor.