Migraine Tip of the Month: Assess and Reduce Your Level of Stress
In this issue we have focused a fair amount of attention on how stress and migraine may interact. Emotional and physical stresses are potent triggers and aggravators of migraine, and stress reduction, however one goes about achieving it, can be extremely effective in reducing migraine burden.
Now consider the flipside. While migraine episodes or more prolonged exacerbations of migraine may occur without any obvious provocation and specifically in the absence of any obvious stress, migraine burden can serve as a fairly good barometer for determining how much stress exists in your life. This is not to take the term “barometer“ too literally; changes in barometric pressure often are cited by migraineurs as triggers for their migraine episodes, but treating your migraine effectively is not going to evoke a corresponding change in atmospheric pressure.
Instead, if you are experiencing an increase in your migraine burden, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and look at how much stress is embedded in your day-to-day life. If your level of stress is high, try to determine what it is that may be contributing to your stress and, once identified, whether that contributing factor can be managed. While the option of divorcing your spouse, quitting your job and moving to the Canary Islands to enjoy the islands’ allegedly perfect climate may not be an especially practical alternative, there likely are changes you can make in your life that, while less dramatic, will still decrease your level of stress.
Are you setting aside enough time for yourself? Do you exercise regularly? Do you permit yourself an occasional treat such as a good massage, a pedicure, an evening away from the responsibilities of caring for your family to enjoy a night out with friends or simply relaxing on the couch to revisit Jon Stark’s struggles on Game of Thrones?
Sometimes it’s the small things that matter…that make such a difference. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose but your migraine burden.