Migraine prevention strategies may help alleviate your symptoms and attacks. These include keeping a regular sleep schedule and not skipping meals; also, avoiding foods known to trigger migraines like aged cheese, chocolate, caffeine or alcohol can be effective strategies.
Cold or warm compresses on your head or neck may also help soothe pain, while drinking plenty of water will prevent dehydration, which is one of the key triggers of migraines.
Avoiding Triggers
Migraine triggers are events, changes, or acts which cause headache pain and other symptoms to manifest themselves. Common migraine triggers include aged cheese, chocolate, MSG, alcohol consumption, caffeine withdrawal symptoms and nitrates (used in sausage). Environmental and weather factors, including light levels, noise levels, air pressure fluctuations and temperature shifts may also act as triggers.
Stress and certain medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to trigger migraine attacks in some individuals. Deep breathing exercises, relaxation therapy and meditation can be effective ways to alleviate stress; taking magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2) feverfew or butterbur supplements may reduce both frequency and intensity of migraine episodes.
Keep a headache journal to identify potential triggers of migraines. Documenting when and why symptoms started occurring as well as activities done that day and duration is a powerful way of eliminating recall bias and learning your personal triggers. Drink water when feeling migraine symptoms coming on; dehydration can worsen migraine symptoms so keeping water near is always helpful, while adding flavor (such as citrus juice or cucumber slices) might make drinking more appealing and encourage you to drink more frequently.
Getting Enough Sleep
Even with proper migraine medication and avoidance of triggers, sleep can still be challenging during an attack. Nausea, pain and other symptoms may make falling asleep difficult; if this is happening to you try some of the tips below to assist in falling asleep more easily.
Migraine expert Alex Dimitriu notes that sleep provides neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine with much-needed restorative effects – an aspect essential to migraine prevention. Sleep experts agree: restful slumber can resensitize these molecules which is why getting enough restful restful restful restful restful restful restful sleep is so critical in protecting against migraine.
As part of your migraine prevention strategy, try keeping to a consistent sleep schedule and aim for 7 hours each night. Many headache specialists advise that both bedtime and wake-up time shouldn’t vary by more than an hour; additionally, don’t use alcohol or medications that make you sleepy as sleep aid as these may actually trigger migraines; Move Against Migraine moderator Rachel listed strict bedtimes/wakeup times among her top strategies to combat migraines.
Relaxing
Migraines are throbbing or pulsing headaches characterized by light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, nausea or vomiting. Although there is no way to completely prevent migraine attacks, learning some effective coping techniques can provide valuable support during episodes.
Keep a migraine diary to help identify triggers. Each person’s triggers differ, so it may take time and trial-and-error before finding what works for you.
Take time each day to practice relaxation techniques like deep diaphragmatic breathing, box breathing or alternate nostril breathing in order to calm the nervous system and ease tension in neck and head muscles. Though this can be hard during migraine attacks, practicing these techniques for just several minutes daily could reduce both their severity and frequency.
Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is an exercise involving gradually contracting and relaxing different groups of muscles, beginning with your hands before working your way down your body. There are smartphone apps that can guide this process; studies have demonstrated its efficacy at decreasing migraine frequency in those suffering chronic headaches.
Staying Hydrated
Dehydration can be one of the primary sources of headaches during hotter temperatures. According to one study, people suffering from migraines could benefit from adding six cups of extra water daily to their normal daily consumption in order to help prevent headaches from returning.
Maintaining a nutritious diet can also help minimize migraine attacks. Eating small meals throughout the day will keep blood sugar stable and reduce stress and other triggers of migraine attacks.
Exercise can be helpful, relieving stress; improving sleep; and releasing endorphins which act as natural painkillers. But too much exercise may lead to dehydration and increase your risk of migraine attacks – be sure to drink enough fluids while engaging in activity!
If you are having difficulty sleeping, try going to bed and rising at the same time every night – this will help regulate your internal body clock and promote restful slumber. Implement a calming pre-sleep routine and avoid caffeine, alcohol and foods high in sodium to ensure restful slumber.
