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Most of us think of migraine as a bad headache. But the truth is it is more than just a bad headache. A migraine is a severe headache that can cause debilitating, throbbing, one-sided head pain that can leave you in bed for days. The headache phase of a migraine usually lasts at least four hours, but it can also last for days. Triggers like loud noises, bright lights, strong odors, and physical activities can worsen this headache, causing symptoms like vision changes, fatigue, irritability, and nausea. People who have suffered from migraine say that it is disruptive and can interfere with your daily routine and affect your ability to meet personal and social obligations.

Once diagnosed with migraine, most people turn to medication since it is a proven way to treat and prevent migraines. But the truth is, medicine is only part of the story. It is also important to consider lifestyle choices to promote your overall good health, as they also help reduce the number of migraines you have and lessen the migraine pain. You can combine medicine with behavioral measures and lifestyle to help handle migraines.

To help you start your journey of managing migraines, we have prepared the best recommendations on lifestyle choices. So relax, and read on!

• Healthy Eating Habits

The importance of healthy eating habits cannot be overlooked. Besides improving your overall well-being, healthy eating significantly impacts your migraines. Consider the following basics:

• Eat healthy foods: Most processed and sugar-added foods like chocolate, cheese, caffeine, and alcohol may trigger migraines. Focus on healthy and natural foods,
• Maintain an eating schedule: Avoid skipping meals, as this increases the risk of migraines.
• Be consistent: Eat at about the same time every day.
• Exercise regularly

Engaging in physical activity helps your body release chemicals that block brain pain signals. These chemicals also help reduce anxiety and depression, which worsen migraines.

Obesity also increases the risk of chronic headaches. You can maintain a healthy weight through exercise and a healthy diet, which provides additional benefits in managing migraines.

With the help of your healthcare provider, choose any exercise you enjoy, like walking, cycling, or swimming. But always ensure you ease into exercise gradually, as vigorous exercise may trigger migraines.

• Manage stress

I understand that it’s not possible to avoid daily stress altogether, but you need to keep it under control to help manage your migraines. Some of the tips you can apply include:

• Simplify your life: Busy work and home engagement are common trends in most of our lives. We are sometimes forced to find ways to squeeze more activities or chores into the day. But this only increases our pressure and stress. Instead of squeezing more work into yourself, try to delegate what you can and divide large projects into manageable chunks.
• Time management: Maintaining an updated to-do list at work and home helps reduce the pressure of undone activities or chores.
• Take a break: Don’t allow busy schedules to keep you glued to your seat at work or engaged with home chores all day. Always take a few slow stretches or a quick walk to renew your energy.
• Develop a positive attitude: Always stay positive.
• Enjoy yourself: Find a hobby and focus on doing it for at least 15 minutes daily. Doing something you enjoy is a natural way to combat stress.
• Sleep well

We cannot underestimate the power of good sleep. Migraines can keep you from falling asleep or wake you up at night. Likewise, poor night’s sleep also triggers migraines. Always ensure you establish regular sleep hours, lessen distractions in your bedroom, and don’t try so hard to sleep when you can’t. When you can’t sleep, read or do a quiet activity until you become drowsy.

• Calm environment

Always ensure your environment is calm to avoid migraine triggers. Ensure the lights are not too bright and the music is not too loud.

 Navigating Through Migraines 

We understand that living with migraines is a daily challenge. But making healthy lifestyle choices can help. Chiropractic care is a drug-free, holistic approach to healing where we help you develop a strategy to achieve true wellness. Our chiropractic treatment is packaged to offer you new to navigate through migraines and help you live better for longer.

If migraines have taken a toll on your body, consider contacting Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, for support and counseling.