8 most common seizure triggers

Feeling tired and not sleeping well: Sleep and tiredness can trigger seizures in individuals with epilepsy, leading to a cycle of sleep-related seizures and increased fatigue.

Stress: Stress triggers seizures in epilepsy patients, potentially due to anxiety, depression, changes in sleep or eating habits, and is not fully understood.

 Having an illness which causes a high temperature: High temperatures due to infection can trigger seizures, especially in children and focal seizures. Febrile seizures, linked with high temperatures, are not epilepsy.

Alcohol: Consuming alcohol in excess can increase the risk of seizures, disrupt sleep, and lead to forgetting to take epilepsy medications.

Recreational drugs: Recreational drugs, including cannabis, can be dangerous and trigger seizures, while medical cannabis, prescribed by a doctor, contains pure cannabidiol and may help with epilepsy.

Flashing and flickering lights: Photosensitive epilepsy, affecting 3-5% of epilepsy patients, is triggered by flashing or flickering lights from devices and screens, with seizures typically occurring immediately.

Smoking, vaping: Nicotine or other compounds in cigarette smoke or vape fluids have been linked to the potential to trigger seizures.

Weather:Changes and extreme temperatures have been reported as seizure triggers, but evidence is mixed.

This information is not DNA's opinion but obtained from media reports