The brain of a migraine sufferer needs routine. It craves consistency. This is why it is important to identify triggers and try minimizing trigger exposure. Migraine is a genetic neurological disorder, which results in the brain being more sensitive to triggers than a non-migraine brain. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, unhealthy diet and stress can impact any individual. But those who are more susceptible to migraines will be more sensitive to even the slightest disruption in sleep or change in diet or increased stress levels. The easiest way to take control of your migraines is to stay consistent and develop a routine.

There are many triggers that are out of our control such as the weather, certain stressors, hormone fluctuations. Following the SEEDS pneumonic can help to minimize triggers and help to lessen frequency and severity in most individuals with migraines.

Sleep

Sleep is important in how your brain functions. Quality sleep is just as important for your body as food and water. More recent studies have shown that your brain is quite active during sleep and plays sort of a housekeeping role. Chronic lack of sleep increases risk of cardiovascular related health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity as well as increases risk for depression and anxiety.

So how much sleep is enough sleep? There is no magic number of hours a person needs to sleep, as it can vary significantly between individuals. A general guide for sleep is for school-age kids and teens to have around 9.5 hours of sleep and for adults approximately 7-9 hours of sleep. How you are feeling in the morning helps to determine if you are getting good quality and quantity of sleep.

Many people simply think you can “catch up” on sleep if you had a later night, or a disruption in your sleep. You cannot replace the sleep that you missed, which is why it is important to maintain a routine bedtime if you struggle with migraine attacks.

Some tips for getting a good night’s sleep include:

· Having a set bedtime schedule-going to bed around the same time every night and waking at the same time each day

· Exercising for about 30 minutes per day (we will talk about this more in the next section)

· Avoiding caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants later in the day. Typically, it is recommended to avoid stimulants after 2pm.

· Create a relaxing environment for sleep. Avoid bright lights, TVs or phone use in the bedroom. Blue light is very stimulating for the brain, and thus affect your sleep quality

· Don’t lie in bed for too long if you can’t sleep. If you can’t get to sleep within about 30 minutes of laying down, try reading or listening to calming music until you feel tired.

Exercise

Exercise can be difficult for a migraine sufferer. Research has shown that routine exercise can decrease frequency and severity of attacks, but unfortunately can also be a trigger for migraines. Exercise releases certain endorphins which help to boost mood acting as a natural antidepressant

and a natural pain-reliever. Sometimes starting exercise simply with brisk walking 30 minutes per day can have significant impact.

Making a workout plan is important. Finding an exercise program that motivates you will help to keep you motivated and in a routine. A combination of cardio, strengthening and flexibility training can be most beneficial. Cardio can include walking, jogging, running, cycling, and swimming. Muscle strength and training can include weightlifting and push-ups. Exercises such as Pilates or yoga can help with flexibility and release tension in the muscles.

Ongoing research is focusing on how exercise impacts the brain. What we do know for certain is that there is a significant role physical activity has in improving brain health and overall brain function.

Eat (diet)

A well-balanced diet is important in your overall health, so it is no surprise that when talking about headaches and migraines that we also address diet. There is no specific food that is thought to be a universal trigger. But what we do know is that a diet high in processed foods, low in fat, protein and fiber can lead to increase in migraine frequency and severity.

Just like there is no universal food triggers, there is no universal diet recommendation for migraines. Most commonly the Mediterranean diet is recommended, as this is high in fruits, vegetables, proteins, unrefined carbohydrates and healthy fats. This does not mean that you need to completely avoid or cut out foods completely. If you want to have a donut, go ahead. If you want to eat a cheeseburger, great! It is all about balance. If you are focusing on a healthier diet, rich in nutrients, having an occasional donut or cheeseburger is not going to completely ruin your diet. Making small changes to your diet can create a huge difference in your overall health and wellness.

Having a well-balanced diet also means drinking adequate amounts of water and limiting caffeine and high sugar drinks such as soda, juices, sports drinks. The general guideline for water intake is about 64 ounces of water per day, or eight 8-ounce glasses. Your brain contains more water mass than the rest of your body. This is why drinking water and staying hydrated is important. Your brain needs the water to function.

Caffeine can be a difficult topic to address. For some migraine sufferers, caffeine can help to abort a migraine. For others, this can be a significant trigger. It is generally recommended to drink no more than 200mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about 2 cups of coffee. There are many other effects caffeine can have on the body. It can cause dehydration, affect magnesium absorption and can increase intensity and duration of migraines for some. The most important thing to remember with caffeine is that it affects everyone differently, and most often less is best when it comes to caffeine intake and controlling migraine attacks.

Diary

Tracking your headaches and migraine attacks can be helpful, not only for you but also your healthcare provider. There are several apps you can download such as Migraine Buddy, NA-Headache, Migraine monitor, to name a few.

Use of a migraine diary or tracking headaches and migraines can help to not only get an accurate representation of frequency of attacks but also help identify certain triggers such as changes in weather and help to identify treatments that are helping, or not helping, such as ibuprofen or a prescribed rescue medication.

Treatment success is determined not only by the providers recommendations, but the individual’s involvement in their migraine care.

Stress

Stress can look differently for everyone, just like migraines can. It is easier for a provider to simply say “reduce your stress”, but this is not as simple as it sounds. Stress has a significant impact on your brain, resulting in difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, fatigue, among many other potential adverse effects.

Many migraine sufferers have said “I was stressed before, but I don’t feel stressed now. Why are my migraines so bad?”. There is something called the “let down” migraine, which occurs during a more relaxed state such as the weekend. This can be particularly frustrating because just when you think you can relax after a stressful week, here comes the migraine! This is why managing stress is so important. When you are accustomed to such a constant state of stress, your body is releasing hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine. This can protect you from the perception of pain. So, once you don’t have this heightened stress response in your body, you now begin to feel pain. Hence, the migraine attack!

There are many options for trying to manage stress. Sleep and routine exercise (sound familiar?) are very important. However, even this can sometimes not be enough to manage stress. Taking time for yourself is so important. This can be difficult, especially if you are a parent or caregiver, working full-time or more, a student, or really in any situation of life. Research does show that having personal interaction, face to face interactions, and prioritizing time to do the things that make you happy have almost an immediate effect on stress.

Managing migraines are stressful enough. Making small changes and taking baby steps towards bettering your overall health can significantly reduce migraine symptoms. Consistency is key! Following the SEEDS pneumonic can be helpful, but also it is not a guaranteed cure. Talking with a trusted headache specialist will help to get you on the right path for managing your migraines and help you take back control of your life.