The Mindful Migraine

Today’s post is written by someone other than me – Celine, founder of Seesaw Health, outlines her experience of living with migraine, how better breathing helped her heal, AND how she then used that learning to set up a business aimed at reducing people’s chronic pain. It’s a very inspirational reminder that healing is possible, and I love, love, love that Celine not only turned her pain around, but is now helping others do the same! Her company’s mantra is “find your balance” and you can read more about Celine on her About Page (here).

[Image source: Seesaw Health]

And now… it’s over to Celine:

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Thirty Years with Migraine: What I’ve Learned (and Still Learning)
By Celine, founder of Seesaw Health

I’ve lived with migraines for over 30 years—since I was 21. I’m 51 now, and while I’ve learned how to navigate them better, the truth is, migraines still humble me.

For me, it always starts the same way: a sharp, stabbing pain behind my left eye like someone lodged a knife there. The world narrows into a dark, silent tunnel—I can’t tolerate light, can’t keep food down, and can’t function. I lie in bed, not sleeping, not really resting, just enduring. These episodes last 24 to 48 hours. And when you live with something like that regularly, it changes how you move through the world.

If you know, you know.

And if you do know, you’ve probably also tried everything: medications, diets, supplements, weird hacks from forums at 2am. I’ve been there. For a long time, my life revolved around avoiding triggers and dreading the next attack. I canceled plans, missed work, and spent days in bed. The unpredictability was just as exhausting as the pain itself.

Over time, I started noticing patterns. Sleep deprivation, stress, heat, certain foods, even a flickering screen could tip me over the edge. I became a master at scanning for danger—avoiding glare, always having sunglasses, being overly cautious about what I ate or drank. But I was still reacting to the problem, not addressing the root of it.

The real turning point came when I started learning more about the nervous system. Not from a doctor, but out of desperation and curiosity. I came across research on how the autonomic nervous system—particularly the vagus nerve—plays a key role in inflammation, pain regulation, and migraine. That’s when something clicked for me.

The Science Behind It All

Migraines aren’t “just headaches.” They are complex neurological events involving multiple systems in the body, particularly the brain and the gut. One key player in the migraine puzzle is neurogenic inflammation—a process where overactive sensory neurons release inflammatory molecules that cause blood vessels in the brain to dilate. This cascade triggers the intense pain and symptoms migraine sufferers know all too well: throbbing pain, nausea, light sensitivity, and cognitive fog.

The vagus nerve, which runs from the brainstem to the gut and other organs, has anti-inflammatory properties that help regulate this process. When the vagus nerve is underactive (a state known as low vagal tone), it can fail to shut down excessive inflammation—potentially making migraines more likely and more severe. On the flip side, increasing vagal tone has been shown to calm the nervous system, reduce inflammation, and even influence pain perception.

One powerful way to stimulate the vagus nerve? Slow, deep breathing. When you breathe at a rhythm of six breaths per minute (about one breath every 10 seconds), you activate a calming parasympathetic response. This encourages the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate pain, inflammation, and stress. It’s not just relaxation—it’s physiological change. That’s what drew me in.

Breathwork Became My Lifeline

I started practicing specific breathwork exercises during quiet moments—before bed, during breaks, especially when I felt the tension building before a migraine. It wasn’t a magic bullet, but I started noticing something: the intensity of my migraines began to lessen. The recovery time got shorter. I felt a little more in control.

After months of consistent practice, I realized that I wasn’t just reacting to migraines anymore—I was actively reshaping how my body responded to stress and inflammation. That’s when I knew I had to go deeper, not just for myself, but for others who might be stuck in the same exhausting cycle.

This led me to create Seesaw Health, a handheld biosensor and app to help with boosting the vagus nerve and trigger the release of acetylcholine, the natural way. With the help of neuroscientists, female MDs and engineers, we worked hard to develop a breath-based tool for nervous system regulation. I was simply following what helped me feel like myself again.

What Helps Me Now

If I have something important coming up—a big event, travel, a stressful day—I plan for it. I prioritize sleep. I reduce screen time. I walk in nature (even just 20 minutes helps), and I make space for slow deep breathing—six breaths per minute, at least three minutes, preferably longer. I usually do 3 sessions a day. It’s become a habit that grounds me.

I still avoid my known triggers: bright lights, heat, loud environments, overly processed foods and alcohol (a big trigger for me). I also try not to over-schedule myself or push through stress without recovery time. If you’re living with migraines, you probably already have your own list of “dos and don’ts.” Mine isn’t perfect, but it gives me a framework to feel a little safer in my body.

And if a migraine does break through despite all this? I try not to beat myself up. I go dark, quiet, and still. I breathe through it. I treat myself like I would a friend in pain—with patience.

Advice from One Migraine Warrior to Another

If you’re in the thick of it, I just want to say: I get it. This isn’t in your head. You’re not weak. You’re not making it up. Migraines are real, complex, and often invisible to others—but very real to those of us who live with them.

Start small. Try three minutes of slow, deep and guided breathing each day. Get curious about your nervous system. Pay attention to the signals your body sends before a migraine. Don’t wait until you’re in crisis to care for yourself.

There is hope—even if it doesn’t come in the form of a quick fix or a prescription. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple and radical as your breath.

And if you’d like to learn more about how breathwork works for migraine—or want a simple guide to try it yourself—I’m always happy to share. You can explore more here.

Celine.

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It’s so interesting to know that our journeys were so similar in so many ways. We have similar triggers, had to learn to be kind to ourselves when we’re unwell, and we both felt like we had “tried everything” only to discover that responding to symptoms is generally reacting too late – you need to try to address root causes. And for Celine, like me, breathing better to calm your nervous system was a game changer. For Celine it prompted a whole new business, whilst for me, breathwork became part of a wider number of approaches that sat under the umbrella of “Mindfulness” which helped me move my vagus nerve from “fight or flight” mode back into “rest, digest and repair” mode. (Learning about the vagus nerve was so important to me, it was one of the first things I ever posted about on this blog (here)).

I want to end this post by reiterating what Celine says – if you have regular migraines; don’t lose hope – we got better and so can you… sometimes it just takes time to find the right way forward for you… but as you seek answers – remember to take a deep breath… or several!

Take care taking care, Linda xx

PS – this post is not a product endorsement, but it IS about sharing the voices of migraine people so that you know that you are not alone. If you want to share your story too, feel free to reach out on my CONTACT page (here) – I believe that there is room enough for all of us, always!