If migraines are interfering with your work, social life or other activities, it is wise to consult a health care professional about managing them. Medication may reduce both frequency and severity of attacks while lifestyle modifications such as avoiding triggers and getting enough rest may also provide relief.
Consider strategies like biofeedback, meditation and exercise as ways to help relieve your stress. Supplements such as riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, feverfew and butterbur may also prove helpful in combatting anxiety.
Identifying triggers
One of the best ways to manage migraines is by understanding your triggers. Everyone’s triggers vary; yours could range from stress or certain foods to skipping meals or changes in sleep patterns. Many doctors advise patients keeping a headache diary or smartphone app for tracking symptoms and triggers, which allows you to spot patterns such as excessive yawning, changes in emotions or mood swings, food cravings or early signs of an impending attack (known as prodrome symptoms).
Keeping a migraine symptom diary may reveal any food as potential triggers; if so, try eliminating it for four weeks and gradually reintroducing it after. Some sufferers of migraine may find avoiding food triggers helps their condition, while other require additional methods of controlling symptoms. Lifestyle changes, including eating healthily and engaging in regular physical activity such as yoga or running can also help decrease migraine pain as physical activity blocks the release of proinflammatory chemicals that worsen migraine symptoms.
Managing stress
Migraines can often be caused by stress. To reduce it, try getting enough restful sleep, exercising regularly and maintaining a consistent schedule; also eating healthful diet of fruits, vegetables and proteins; as well as drinking at least 64 ounces of water daily.
People living with migraines tend to be sensitive to change, making adherence to a regular schedule essential in minimizing any unwanted events that could trigger pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy may also prove beneficial as a stress management technique.
If you are having difficulty managing stress, discuss it with your physician. They may suggest avoiding known stress triggers, keeping a headache diary and joining support groups as strategies. In some cases, migraine medications like triptans, topiramate and propranolol may be prescribed; triptans include triptans, topiramate, verapamil (Calan) and rimegepant (Vydura) may also help reduce frequency, duration and intensity of attacks.
Getting plenty of sleep
Recent research indicates that getting enough restful sleep is the keystone of successful migraine management. Migraines can disrupt sleep patterns, increasing your risk for migraine headaches the following day.
If you suffer from migraines, keeping track of how well and often you sleep can be critical in managing symptoms. A headache diary such as that found within CeCe Migraine Management app can be helpful for tracking trends and pinpointing triggers.
Consistency is key when it comes to improving sleep, so try sticking to a consistent schedule and avoiding abrupt shifts or extreme changes. Excessive screen time at bedtime, for example, can keep your brain busy when it should be relaxing. Make sure your bedroom is dark and comfortable before disconnecting devices for at least an hour before sleep time and invest in new mattress with soft sheets and pillows if needed; journaling or reading may help too if having difficulty falling asleep remains a problem.
Keeping a food journal
A migraine headache diary can help both you and your healthcare provider better understand the relationship between food and migraine symptoms. You should record details such as date, time, meal type (breakfast/lunch/dinner or snack) consumed as well as any adverse symptoms experienced afterwards. Also make note if any particular food triggers migraine attacks as well as duration and relief measures taken, if applicable.
Food journaling helps identify patterns that could trigger migraine attacks directly or delay them for up to 24 hours – this allows you to better avoid those foods which do so by tracking what you eat and when.
Encourage patients to increase their water consumption. Most US adults don’t drink anywhere near the recommended daily water intake of 11.5 cups for women and 15.5 for men; increasing water consumption is one of the easiest lifestyle changes you can implement quickly, often producing positive results quickly. Ctrl M Health offers a patient handout on migraine hydration here.
