Important Lifestyle Changes to Manage Migraine Naturally
What lifestyle choices you pick will determine the frequency and the intensity of your migraine attacks. Thankfully, there are a lot of lifestyle changes that you can make to manage the excruciatingly painful migraine headaches.
Here are some of those significant lifestyle changes to manage migraines naturally.
- Cut your caffeine intake
Caffeinated drinks such as soda, coffee, and tea are often associated with headache relief. This happens because before the migraine hits, the blood vessels are wide open. With the intake of caffeine, these vessels narrow down and give relief from the pain. This might work for some people. But there are others for whom caffeine might work as a trigger for migraine attacks. Once the effect of caffeine starts to phase out, it can trigger a rebound migraine attack. A cup of coffee at times is alright. But if headaches are a frequent visitor, you must limit your coffee intake to once in a while. - Relieve stress
People who suffer from stress are more prone to experience frequent headaches. Therefore, one of the most important lifestyle changes to manage migraine is to lower the stress levels. Migraine patients should learn ways to bring down the stress levels that they experience in their day-to-day lives. If work is causing excessive stress, they should take regular breaks and find some quality time to spend with family and friends. - Keep a watch on your medications
Medication for pain can be helpful in migraine pain when it gets severe. However, the intake of these medications should be put on a close watch. Taking these medications more than two times a week can do more harm than good. Overuse of these medications can give you a severe headache. This headache can also be called a rebound headache. Again, this rebound effect is not just limited to your migraine medications. Any pain medication which has been overused can trigger a migraine attack. - Keep a check on the weather forecast
Any changes in the weather can trigger a migraine episode. And it isn’t just cold weather or the monsoon that can give you headaches. Bright sunny days and heavy winds can also cause migraines. It is not up to you to control the weather. But what you can do is keep a watch on the weather forecast and prepare for any changes in the weather. Check the local weather forecast. In case the weather is too extreme, stay indoors as much as possible. In case you start experiencing headaches, take your medication without any delay. If you know that the weather can get extreme, eat a healthy diet, get ample sleep, and don’t skip your regular workout routine.