Living an Antimigraine Lifestyle

You follow your healthcare provider's treatment plan for managing your migraines, you avoid your triggers, you take medications as directed, and you have learned all you can about your condition and your treatment options. Good job on being proactive! These steps can help reduce the number of times you experience a migraine and minimize the impact migraines have on your life.

You are on the homestretch, but do not stop now. There are a few more things you can do to help further close the door on migraine pain. Take a look at your schedule and your sleep, eating, and exercise habits. How you manage those aspects of your life can make a big difference in whether migraine pain strikes.

Ask yourself the following questions to see if your lifestyle could be setting the stage for migraine pain.

Do I maintain a steady sleep schedule? Staying up an extra hour or two past your bedtime to read a good book or catch a rerun of your favorite movie on late-night television may seem like a good idea, but you could pay for it the next day. Inconsistent sleep habits and not getting enough sleep are common migraine triggers. Make restful sleep a priority. Do I sometimes skip meals? Skipping breakfast to shave 15 minutes off your morning routine is not worth it. Missing meals is one of the most common, and avoidable, migraine triggers. Never skip a meal, and keep protein bars, apples, whole-wheat crackers, and trail mix on hand as options when your meal is delayed. Do I exercise regularly? Hopping on the elliptical trainer a few times a week, taking your favorite four-legged friend for a walk in the park on weekends, and enjoying an occasional bike ride on a scenic trail are all good prescriptions for migraine sufferers. Regular, moderate exercise may help avoid migraines. Just make sure you do not overdo it. For some people, strenuous exercise is a migraine trigger. Do I try to take on too much? Whether your day is packed with work meetings and doctor appointments or household chores and grocery shopping, take stock of how stressed you feel by your commitments. Stress can trigger migraines. If you feel tense but can not loosen up your schedule that day, take a 10- to 20-minute break. Practice deep breathing, meditation, self hypnosis, yoga or any other activity that helps you feel calm.

Other smart choices for limiting migraines include restricting caffeine and alcohol intake, not smoking, and losing weight if you are overweight. Some people also find that alternative therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy or biofeedback help reduce their symptoms. Practicing these antimigraine strategies not only might help you fend off migraines, but it also will help you feel refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the day.