Does Meditation Help Me Manage Migraine
A migraine is a headache that causes severe throbbing on one or both sides of the head. The pain usually occurs around the temples, scalp, neck, and back of the eye. To ease the pain, there are various medications available such as anti-inflammatory medicines, opioids, calcium channel blockers, etc. However, people with chronic migraine experience headaches frequently in a month, and thus, they are prone to taking medications often. Excessive consumption of medications might produce side effects and cause harm to the body in the long run. Practices like meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and tai chi can help prevent migraines.
To know more about meditation for migraine and its benefits, keep reading.
What is meditation
Meditation is a practice in which a special technique is used to focus attention on the present moment and be accepting and non-judgemental to achieve mental and emotional stability. Meditation has been practiced by people for years to help achieve mental and emotional well-being.
How does meditation help with migraine?
- Stress management: Studies have shown that practicing meditation regularly is beneficial in managing stress. Stress triggers migraine, and migraine elevates stress. Hence, reducing stress can reduce migraine. Effective stress management can be done through meditation. Not only is meditation beneficial in managing stress, but it also helps improve pain tolerance, reducing the regularity of headaches and severity of the pain, lessening the need to take medications, and hence improving the overall quality of life.
- Balancing the neurotransmitters: Imbalances in the neurotransmitters and irregular sleeping habits can also cause migraine. Meditation helps in increasing the levels of dopamine, serotonin, and melatonin. It also aids in reducing fight-or-flight reflux and relaxes the central nervous system by decreasing cortisol and norepinephrine levels. This improves the quality of sleep and hence helps fight migraine.
- It helps in brain growth: According to some studies, migraine is experienced by people who might have reduced neural brain tissue (grey matter) that is responsible for the processing of information like emotions, decision-making, memory, perception, and problem-solving. However, it has also been shown in studies that meditation can help increase the grey matter volume in certain areas of the brain and reduce pain sensitivity.
- Relief from pain: A study that was done using mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on people with migraine showed that participants that followed MSBR for eight weeks reported fewer headaches and saw positive changes in the severity of their headache, its duration, reduction in anxiety and depression related to migraine, and improved overall quality of life.
How to get started with meditation for the migraine journey?
If you’re someone who has never practiced mediation before, then here are some tips on how to get started.
1. Pick your place
Find a calm site that will prevent distraction. As a beginner, meditating in a quiet place is necessary to focus properly. However, once you begin practicing daily, you might be able to do it anywhere.
2. Get settled
Select a comfortable position. You can cross your legs and sit and also lean back and take the support of a wall. However, ensure you’re not too relaxed as you may fall asleep.
3. Focus on your breathing
Concentrate on your breathing. However, don’t get stuck trying to breathe a certain way. Just observe and concentrate on the air moving in and out of your lungs. Do not worry when you see changes in your breathing.
4. Let go
It is natural for random thoughts to pop up in your brain. When that happens, let them go and return your concentration to your breathing.
Prevention Tips
We can’t always change what’s happening around us, but we can change what happens within us
Although meditation is beneficial for the mind and aids in reducing migraine, it is also necessary to make certain lifestyle modifications to better overall health, as lifestyle plays a significant role in maintaining good health. The American Migraine Foundation’s Headache hygiene suggests lifestyle changes and triggers be avoided to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. They are,
- Lifestyle modifications: Maintaining regular sleep cycles, exercising regularly, eating food regularly and on time, and reducing stress.
- Avoiding the triggers: Avoid work and home stress, injuries, strong odors, bright light, sleep pattern changes, changes in weather, etc.
Conclusion
“Meditation nourishes the mind in the same way that food nourishes the body.”
Nothing happens overnight, and everything takes time. To reduce migraine and reduce the intensity of their pain, it is essential to practice meditation regularly. To cultivate the habit of meditating regularly, it is important to make up your mind and start practicing.
