Medications and supplements are an important part of the migraine treatment strategy. However, it is also very important not to ignore basic healthy lifestyle practices as they play a major role in migraine management.
The following lifestyle interventions have been shown to reduce migraine frequency:
1. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can cause blood glucose fluctuations which can trigger migraines. It is especially important to eat breakfast within 1 hour of waking up in the morning with at least 12 grams of protein.
2. Stay hydrated. It is recommended to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day. Dehydration is a common migraine trigger.
3. Stay active. It is recommended to exercise at least 30 mins a day, 5 days a week.
4. Sleep well. It is recommended to sleep at least 7-9 hours every night, or enough for you to feel refreshed the next day. If you feel excessively sleepy despite getting enough hours of sleep, then consider seeing a sleep physician to rule out a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea, which can make migraines worse.
5. Manage stress. Stress makes everything in life worse, and migraines are no exception! Stress is of course an unavoidable part of life, but having a strategy to manage and mitigate your stress is vital. Mindfulness is one helpful strategy for stress reduction, and this can be explored further through apps such as Headspace or Calm.
6. Avoid triggers. There are countless migraine triggers and they vary from person to person, from weather changes and stress to alcohol and odors. Identifying yours, and avoiding them if possible, can help you significantly reduce your migraine frequency.
7. Neuromodulation. Another non-medication based treatment for migraines is neuromodulation, such as with an external trigeminal nerve stimulator, also known as Cefaly. This device stimulates the trigeminal nerve (the chief pain nerve in the face and head) to reduce pain signals sent to the brain, and has evidence supporting its effectiveness for both migraine prevention and abortive therapy.
-Neurologist and Co-Founder of NeuroNaturals