Category: Mindfulness
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Mindfulness for migraines
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…
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Migraine Podcasts
As part of my journey to minimize my migraine suffering, I have been learning as much as I can about migraines, chronic pain and mindfulness. Here is a collection of podcast episodes that relate to those subjects (it’s a work in progress) – feel free to explore: Migraine Matters (spotify.com)…
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Long meditations for migraines
Although I rarely have the time and patience, I do occasionally experiment with longer running meditations. Meditations, such as Jon Kabat-Zinn’s ‘the mountain’ remind you to sit still and straight and noble, whilst the vagaries of pain and emotion flow over you and you remain unmoved. I know it’s not what…
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Short meditations for migraines
In addition to the meditations listed in my other post for Youtube, I also have a collection on Spotify that I can use wherever I am. The nice thing about short meditations, is that you can do them in between regular tasks and routines when you find yourself with a…
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Yin Yoga for migraines
This type of yoga is slow and steady. Each position is often held for a few minutes, slowly stretching muscles and releasing tension. Many of the sessions also emphasize breathing and meditation to further reduce stress and anxiety. I initially struggled with this addition to my routine. It seemed counter-intuitive to get out…
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Meditation for migraines
Although initially a bit resistant to meditation, it is an important foundation of mindfulness. Over time I have grown to enjoy the time spent meditating (even though I generally keep my daily sessions short). Meditating allows you to practice the art of sitting still in mind and body, which in…
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Qigong for migraines
Similar but different to Tai Chi, Qigong has provided another set of invaluable techniques for my migraine recovery. Slow and steady, with a focus on posture, breathing, and the energy that runs through your body, I’m yet to find a movement that hurts my head; even the head-tapping was more pleasant…
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Tai Chi for migraines
Of all the activities that I have experimented with, Tai Chi has been one of the ones I have enjoyed the most. I now try to start every day with 15 minutes of Tai Chi movements. Whilst I began by following routines on You Tube, now I tend to use remembered moves…
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Face and head massage for migraines
Over time I have discovered that I hold a lot of tension in my face. Without previously being aware of it, I squint, front, pout, scowl, and grimace my way through the day. Each time I do so, I introduce tensions into my face muscles. One of the best things to come…
The Mindful Migraine 