Taking on the Day with Migraines

 

Have you suffered from mild to severe migraines for most of your life? I’m sure you can probably still vividly recall your first ever migraine. Maybe it occurred in college while you were stressing out over an upcoming exam or when you were starting at your first full time job and all you could focus on was the pain pulsating throughout your head whenever you tried to focus or think.

 

If you’re like the rest of the migraine world, you’ve probably tried a number of things to help control and prevent your migraines over the years, gradually finding what works best for you and what does not.  So now, let’s say you’re in your 30’s and you feel that you have a good idea of how to prevent and control your migraines without taking medication throughout the day. Everyone is different of course, but let’s say some of your major migraine triggers involve bright lights and looking at screens – not great if you’re like the majority of the working force, staring at a computer screen all day.  We want to take you through how to prevent migraines on a typical workday.

 

Morning

 

 

You wake up early for work, around 6 or 7 a.m., to a very dark room. We suggest blackout shades which can help if you do experience a migraine at any point in the day. And of course, keeping your sleeping environment at the optimal comfort during sleep is very important for helping with migraine prevention and relief, so you may want to try sleeping with a fan on low.

 

After a nice shower and breakfast, try starting the day with a morning meditation.  If you’ve never meditated, start small with 1-2 minutes, and work your way up to five or even ten minutes a day. Many people find that meditation can greatly help control their stress levels which, in turn, is helpful in preventing the development of migraines. It’s likely you will have very few migraines when your stress levels are under control. After a few weeks, you may decide to make daily meditation a part of your migraine prevention routine to help improve your overall quality of life.

 

After meditation is complete, give yourself some time to prep for work or to head into the office. If you drive into the office, be sure to give yourself extra time for driving in case of traffic. The goal here is to reduce the development of stress.

 

At Work

 

 

When at the office or your workspace, perhaps you spend most of your day at the computer or in meetings. It’s likely you spend 5-8 hours a day staring at a computer, which can be problematic as screens are a trigger for many people’s migraines. That being said, there are a few things you can do while at work to help prevent the development of migraines.

 

First, be sure to get yourself a cup of coffee or tea if you drink caffeine daily. The caffeine can help some people to decrease their likelihood of migraines. In fact, as a vasoconstrictor, caffeine helps narrow blood vessels, which can decrease the pressure placed on adjoining nerves in the head, helping reduce pain. It’s okay to have a second cup later in the day as well if it helps you, everyone is different though so listen to your body.

 

Something else that may help you throughout the day is one of our wearable acupressure clips. These clips are very handy to have around at all times. They’re small enough to stow in your desk drawer, bag, or your car. After a couple of hours staring at a screen, you can probably feel the rumblings of a migraine on its way, and that’s when you should reach for your clip. Not only do they provide relief through the use of acupressure, they are also convenient because you can wear them while you work at your desk and keep them on during meetings.  

 

Another tip that everyone should follow at work is taking a few breaks. In addition to a quick lunch break, try to also take two fifteen-minute breaks – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can use these breaks to go on short walks outside or even read a book. Anything your can do to give yourself a break from staring at the computer will help prevent your migraines and even restore your focus and energy level. If your employer lets you take breaks throughout the day, we highly recommend doing so.

 

Evening

 

 

Your evenings may be harder to plan, as with most people, they can vary drastically. The good news is, whether you decide to stay in for the night or go out with friends, there are ways to naturally relieve your migraine pain and still enjoy the evening. If you go out we suggest bringing your Aculief Clip with you for quick relief.

 

In the event that you experience a migraine, while at home, try our migraine cooling cap. It can be kept in your freezer or fridge at any time, so it is ready to be used whenever a migraine strikes. It is similar to a cold compress or using ice but more convenient and makes it easier to apply with a hands-free approach. Not to mention it can help provide migraine relief fast!

 

Another thing that you can do that serves as a preventative measure is yoga. Yoga is great to incorporate a few times into your typical week, especially if you suffer with migraines. Research has shown that it is effective for migraine prevention with researchers hypothesizing the reason being that it reduces anxiety, releases tension in trigger areas, and improves overall vascular health. You can practice yoga at home or attend a class.

 

Finally, as you wind down for bed, try applying essential oils to your neck and temples before laying down. Our Relax and Focus Essential Oil Balm includes a number of essential oils that are very effective in addressing migraines such as lavender, chamomile, and frankincense, while the lavender can also help you to relax and sleep. Essential oils are also great for migraine relief. You may also want to try our My Relief Roll-On Oil. With therapeutic grade peppermint, spearmint, lavender, and chamomile essential oils, it can help provide comforting relief from migraines. Even inhaling the essential oils can help counteract the pain and make it go away.

 

Ultimately, these are a few simple things that can be incorporated into a typical workday routine in order to prevent being sidelined by a painful migraine. While this routine may work well for some, it may not work for others. You may need to experiment with different techniques to find which are most effective for your migraine pain, but hopefully these tips can help you explore some natural solutions.