Wellbeing
Managing our overall wellbeing is crucial to managing migraine. It's also the one part of managing migraine where you can do a lot of it yourself!
There are five key areas we need to think about are our lifestyle, keeping a routine, looking after our mental health, diet and exercise. This section is still under construction, but here's a few tips.
Mental Health
Most people with migraine will have some mental health concerns, particularly anxiety, because our brains are wired to overthink things. Read more
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques may help ease the pain levels and frequency of migraine.
Calm your nervous system with some slow breathing. Inhale for four, exhale for four.
Hydration is so important when living with migraine! Aim for at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Gut health is so important for brain health! Aim for two serves of fruit and five serves of veggies a day to boost your gut-loving fibre.
Work with a dietician to do an RPAH elimination diet to identify any food triggers, and then design your own personal migraine friendly diet.
Try eating 6 or 8 small meals and snacks throughout the day rather than 3 big meals to keep your blood sugar consistent.
Exercise
Regular aerobic exercise can reduce the frequency and intensity of your migraine attacks.
Short walks are better than no walks! Aim for 10-20 minutes of exercise minimum each day.
Break up long periods of sitting down by standing up and taking some gentle stretches.
You can sleep more soundly by turning off your screens an hour before bedtime. Vitamin D is important for our health, so if sunshine is a trigger for you and you avoid it, check in with your GP to see if you would benefit from a supplement. Stress is a trigger for a lot of people, so try and reduce the stress in your life if possible.
- Regular partying and drinking is not something most people with significant migraine can do without paying a price.
Routine
- The brain likes consistency and routine. Keep your brain happy by doing the same things at roughly the same time each day, including getting up and going to bed, eating, and even the time you have your morning coffee.
- Avoid the weekend-triggered migraine! Your brain doesn't know it's Saturday: still get up at the same time, have your coffee, and get started with your day like you would any other day.
- Sleeping consistent hours helps with migraine, and we need 6-8 hours a night.