How to Manage Painful Migraines

How Do You Manage Painful Migraines?

Migraines can be debilitating for some people, and if you have tried all the proven methods to help alleviate migraine symptoms (medication, compresses, dark rooms, etc.), but you still find yourself in pain, we have some additional tips that could help you. Migraines most often stem from three sources: stress, sleep, and diet.  Each of these factors can work together to ensure those pounding symptoms won’t leave any time soon.

Reduce Stress

It’s no secret that stress wreaks havoc on the system.  In fact, stress affects everything from your brain to your gut to your heart.  But why is this?  When your body feels a threat, your body’s “fight or flight” response is automatically triggered.  With this, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare the body to deal with the incoming threat.  As a result, your senses sharpen, your breath quickens, your heart pounds faster, and your muscles tighten.  This response is necessary to help our bodies get through times of difficulty, but oftentimes our body perceives stress in the havoc of modern living, and you can get caught in a cycle that leads to adrenal fatigue and overwhelming exhaustion.  

The best way to lessen your fight or flight response is to find ways to calm down throughout the day.  Easier said than done, right?  But finding ways to relax could be the key to managing your painful migraines.  Here are our top tips!

Turn off your phone. Even if it’s only an hour, disconnecting from technology has so many psychological benefits.  Let go of the expectation to always be available and work to be more present with the people around you. 

Connect with people who enrich you.  Human contact is so important for us as people!  But we would take it one step further to say enriching human contact is the key to stress reduction.  You know those people who make you feel good?  Who make you feel happy?  Make and keep appointments with those people in your life.  As a bonus, laughing is also a fantastic stress reducer, so make it someone fun!

Get active! Exercise is fantastic for releasing endorphins!  There are so many ways to move your body, so choose something you love and make time for it!  If you can be active in nature at least once a week, it will go even further to reduce your stress levels.

Get More Sleep

1 in 3 adults regularly don’t get enough sleep, and 40% of adults report falling asleep during the day without meaning to at least once a month.  There’s a reason doctors recommend rest to any patient struggling with their health; sleep allows the body to repair itself.  One of the most important things sleep helps repair is the brain.  Lack of sleep affects stress levels, memory, cognition, and even how well you get along with others.  These all contribute to higher rates of migraine headaches.  If you have problems with sleep, here are a few ideas that can help!

Be consistent- The human body thrives on routine, so a consistent sleep schedule is important to help your body sleep better.  As much as you can go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.

Remove electronic devices from your bedroom- Electronic devices serve as distractions to so many things, but sleep is one of the most affected.  While it’s tempting to watch just one more episode before bed, leave it behind for better rest.

Make sure your bedroom is a relaxing and comfortable temperature- According to The Sleep Foundation, the best temperature for sleep is between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit, with the best bedroom temperature approximately 65 degrees.  Also, keep your bedroom tidy to keep your mind restful before falling asleep.

Diet

Our bodies are constantly repairing the damage done to them throughout the day.  The body needs a constant supply of vitamins to perform this vital function.  While your body may crave quick, empty calories when you don’t feel well, feeding it healthier options will help you better overcome debilitating headaches.  Here are some especially helpful foods to help with your migraine:

• Magnesium-rich foods- Foods high in magnesium, such as avocado, dark leafy greens, and tuna have been proven to offer migraine relief.


• Omega-3 fatty acids- We know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for brain health, and that includes migraines. Add more to your diet with salmon, seeds, and legumes.


• Water- many times a migraine may be triggered by dehydration. Make sure you drink a lot of water to keep these symptoms at bay.

Try Mobile IV Therapy

If your migraines are persistent, consider trying IV therapy!  We have seen great success with IVs in reducing migraine symptoms, and that’s because an IV helps address each of these contributors to migraines.  Our Calm IV works by helping calm your nerves, which helps reduce stress, improve sleep, and manage anxiety.  An IV will hydrate you and give you an added dose of vitamins.  Because migraines are often caused by dehydration, an IV is a quick way to overcome one!  An IV is the equivalent of drinking 3 gallons of water, so it will hydrate you much quicker than drinking will.  With the extra dose of vitamins directly where you need them, you will be feeling better in no time!