5 Tips for managing your migraines To Improve Quality Of Life

Have you ever experienced a migraine? If you have, I am so sorry that you’ve had to deal with that hellish feeling. I’ve dealt with bad headaches and migraines since my early teens, and it has only been in the past few years that they have become manageable. I’m not an expert by any means, but, I’m going to share 5 things that you can do every day to help manage your own migraines.

Everything in this blog post or any related post should not be considered medical advice. I am only sharing my own personal experiences and discoveries.

Learn Your Migraine Triggers

If you’ve ever looked up migraine treatments online, or been to a doctor, one of the first things you’ll be told is to keep a migraine journal. Luckily, there are tons of apps that can help you manage your migraines and notice patterns within them. If you’re interested in a non-digital approach, you can find tons of free options online. Or, look up migraine tracking pages for bullet journals on Pinterest. There are some really creative ones out there!

The best piece of advice I can give you when you’re utilizing a migraine tracker is to be detailed. Phone apps are helpful because you can grab your phone and make notes regardless of where you are. Ladies, I find it helpful to track my migraines in the same place that I track my ‘time of the month,’ since I find that they are related.

Personally, I note when I have migraines and where I feel pain in my head. This helps me determine what treatment method will be the most effective. For instance, if I feel a stabbing pain behind my right eye, that signifies a completely different cause than when I experience more pain in my entire head and neck. I also think about what the pain makes me want to do. When I have a stabbing pain behind my right eye, light pressure on my brow bone can help. But, what really is appealing is the idea of punching myself right in the eye. I don’t actually do this. But, when I feel that urge, I know what relief method will be most effective.

Manage Your Migraines & Your Environment

Things within our own environment can also make a difference, regardless of what we can and cannot control. Warmer weather can be a huge trigger for me, but I can’t do anything about it. Instead, I like to keep the temperature cooler at home. Ideally, I’d keep the temperature no warmer than 68 degrees, but I would prefer somewhere between 64-66. This also helps me sleep better.

Another big trigger can be light. Imagine this- it’s nighttime, you’re driving, and a car with bright LED headlights is heading towards you. If you’re like me, then you’re in a world of pain. During the day, I pretty much always have to wear sunglasses when I’m out. Even when it’s cloudy, I end up needing to wear them.

But, I keep a variety of sunglasses options. I have some that are very dark for very sunny days, and I have ones that act more as a tint for my vision. Having sunglasses that aren’t as dark is perfect for cloudy days because it prevents me from squinting while driving. And, because I am short, the visor in cars often doesn’t help shield my eyes from the sun.

Know Your Angles

Now, I know that saying ‘know your angles’ sounds like I’m talking about a photoshoot. But, I’m not. For me, part of managing my migraines is being aware of how my eyes move when looking at a screen. This is a pretty weird tip, but it makes a big difference for me. So, I’m going to explain it by telling you how I figured this out for myself.

Prior to the pandemic, I do not see movies in theater very often. But, I noticed that every time I left the theater I had a horrible migraine and couldn’t function for the rest of the day. However, after going to a different location and not leaving with my head pounding I realized that the angle of the seats is what causes the migraine, not the noise or large screen like I had initially thought.

In my local theater, the seats are all on the same ‘level,’ which causes you to look up while watching the movie. But, in other locations, towards the middle and back seats are situated on a rise. So, you can pick a seat where you are looking straight ahead at the screen by moving further back. Realizing that looking straight ahead or even downward helps reduce my migraine days was a huge deal for me. Again, I know this is weird. But prior to this, I accepted that I would have to sacrifice an entire day and be willing to feel sick just to see a movie. I had to really want to see that movie.

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Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated isn’t new information for anyone. But, for some migraine sufferers, it can make a huge difference. When I’m dehydrated, I am miserable. If you don’t drink a lot of water, it’s time to change that. This is such an easy and simple change to make.

Buy yourself some fun cups or tumblers with straws, and always have one filled with water next to you. When I have it with me, I end up drinking water without even realizing it. If you have trouble drinking a lot of water, there are a tons of apps to help you count glasses of water. And again, a bullet journal search will also show you tons of great ideas.

Manage Your Diet

Last but not least, take the time to reevaluate your diet. This can be something as simple as making sure you have a variety of protein-filled snacks on hand. If you want to go crazy, start planning out your meals for the week, and stick to your plan. (I say stick to the meal plan because you’re then less likely to be throwing away food and wasting money)

Over the years, I’ve been told to consider cutting gluten, go vegan, go paleo, and so many other ‘intense’ diet changes. While these types of changes are known to work well for others, these are not for me. Your diet and any changes you make need to be right for you and your lifestyle. For me, learning to manage dietary triggers has enabled me to still be able to enjoy certain things, while taking a few steps to prevent them from causing me pain. Overall, if I eat enough protein I can limit my migraines. Some people may need to make huge dietary changes to manage their migraines, while others only need small adjustments. Take notes and find out what works for you.

I hope you find these tips helpful! They have helped me so much over the past several years when it comes to managing my migraines. If would like to hear more about my migraine ‘journey,’ let me know in the comments below! I’ve tried a lot of different remedies over the years (including getting botox injections!) and have a lot of stories!

Everything in this blog post or any related post should not be considered medical advice. I am only sharing my own personal experiences and discoveries.

Did you read my last post? Check it out my 60 seconds or less tip for your lashes here, or learn about my new favorite kitchen toy here.