Mindfulness is the number one, overarching tool that has helped me reduce my migraine triggers (stress, fatigue, posture) and increase my resilience to the triggers I can not avoid (genes, hormones, climate etc.). As a result, I have managed to reduce my migraines from 3+ days a week (every week for over 2 years) to one day every 3 weeks (with a few setbacks).
Mindfulness is a technique in which you try to set aside your concerns for awhile and concentrate instead on your body in this moment, here and now. It often involves sitting still, breathing deeply, and perhaps meditating, doing yoga or a craft project such as coloring-in.
The benefits of mindfulness for migraines
The hope is that in calming your body and mind, your brain will have a chance to rest and reset. From there, your anxiety might lessen, energy increase, your mood could be boosted and you might get a better night’s sleep.
There is also a chance that you will reduce your migraine pain (in terms of frequency, severity and/or duration) as I did.
Mindfulness, for me, includes the daily activities of walking, Tai Chi and meditation. More generally, it involves ‘checking in’ with myself as often as possible throughout the day. Am I ‘hunchy & scrunchy’ instead of sitting straight with a tension-free face? Am I hungry, thirsty or overheating? Has my pain shifted in intensity or location (for better or worse)? I want to be self-aware enough that I begin to recognize triggers as early as possible. And before they have the opportunity to develop into a full-blown migraine where I am in bed for 3 days.
If I do get sick with a full-blown migraine, mindfulness helps then too. Instead of curling into a ball and weeping for 72 hours, I remember to stay calm. (Disappointed of course, but not angry, frustrated or depressed.)
Mindfulness has taught me to intuitively read my body’s signals. I can now feel my blood pressure rise when I’m angry and my head tighten when I cry – neither of which helps my migraine. If the migraine does arrive, the hope is that by relaxing into the situation – it is what it is – I can shorten the duration from several days to several hours.
Key themes of mindfulness
‘True’ mindfulness relies on deeper connections to self-awareness, which come (in part) from Buddhist practices. Some recurring themes regarding this form of mindfulness include:
- focusing on the positives in your life and setting the negatives aside for a while.
- focusing on the here-and-now, rather than the past or the future.
- doing things with purpose and being fully aware of the experience.
- being grateful for the good in your life and accepting of what is not so good.
- remembering the wider world through compassion and trust.
- not taking things too seriously and maintaining a sense of humor as best you can.
- not being judgmental towards yourself. Wherever your mind wonders (and it will), and whatever emotions you’re feeling; it’s all normal. You’re normal. And you’re always more than your thoughts and feelings.
Mindfulness activities to try
I have created a Spotify account of music, meditations and podcasts all designed to help myself and others ‘shortcut’ the mindful migraine journey: Spotify
If you click on the ‘mindfulness’ tab at the top of this post, you’ll see lots of other resources and links to help you develop a more mindful approach to your migraine. The activities are labeled “Easy“, “Moderate” or “Difficult” to help you chose which ones best meet your needs in this moment.
There’s also plenty of additional free printables that might help you on your mindful healing journey over on the RESOURCES page – enjoy!
Remember to liaise with your health care team before making any radical changes to your treatment plan.
Want more?
For more information on the benefits of mindfulness, here a few links that I have found helpful:
(1 min) What is mindfulness? – YouTube
Mindfulness – Mental health and wellbeing | healthdirect
Mindfulness and Pain – Pain Management – painHEALTH (uwa.edu.au)
How Mindfulness Impacts Well-being – Mindful
napadow-2020-the-mindful-migraine.pdf (harvard.edu)
Take care taking care, mindfully, Linda x
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(DISCLAIMER: Please be sure to speak to your health care provider before making any lifestyle changes. I am not a medical doctor. I am only writing about what has and hasn’t worked for me as an individual who has 40 years of lived experience with migraines.)
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