Stress Reduction Techniques for Migraine Control

For many people, stress is a migraine trigger. It can happen with stress that's acute (comes on suddenly) or chronic (builds up over time.)

While you can't remove all sources of stress from your life, you can arm yourself with calming techniques to pull out when you feel stress building, or to make part of a daily wellness practice. Here are some strategies that are quick, can be done just about anywhere, and don't cost a thing.

This ancient practice is a proven stress reliever and has been shown to lower the number of headache days for some people. Meditation techniques include:

Mindfulness. You observe your thoughts and physical feelings, then let them go without judgment.

Guided imagery. You imagine yourself someplace peaceful and focus on what you see and feel there.

Even short meditation sessions can help, and smartphone apps can coach you through them.

An element of meditation – deep, rhythmic breathing – delivers extra oxygen to your body, lowers your heart rate, and triggers your nervous system to calm down. 

Probably the most basic breathing exercise is diaphragmatic or belly breathing. With one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, inhale slowly through your nose and allow your belly to expand. Then exhale slowly through your mouth while your stomach flattens.

This takes belly breathing a step further. You inhale, exhale, and hold in a certain rhythm for a few rounds. Two popular patterns are:

Box breathing. Breathe in to a count or four, hold for a count of four, breathe out to a count of four, and hold for a count of four. 

4-7-8 breathing. Breathe in through your nose to a count of four, hold for a count of seven, and exhale forcefully through your mouth to a count of eight.

Also called a physiological sigh, this is a breathing pattern we all do naturally at times, but you can also do it on purpose to help you relax. Take one regular breath, followed by a second, shorter breath to fill your lungs as much as possible. Then breathe out slowly and forcefully. 

One study found cyclical sighing worked better to lower anxiety than either mindfulness meditation or other breathing exercises. 

In this form of meditation, you check in with one body part at a time. Lie down or sit comfortably and close your eyes. Starting at one end of your body and moving to the other, examine how each part feels and try to relax it. 

Progressive muscle relaxation is a version of this exercise. As you scan each body part, tighten the muscle there, hold for several seconds, then relax it. 

You can find apps that talk you through these techniques.

When you feel your tension level start to rise, try taking out a pen or opening the notes app on your phone and pouring your stress out onto a page. Writing about your stressful feelings can stop the swirl of negative thoughts in your head. It can also help you recognize stress triggers and think about ways to avoid them, especially if you make journaling a regular practice.

In this trending stress reliever, you fill a large bowl with ice water, hold your breath, and dunk your face for a few seconds.

It's supposed to help in two ways. Like a cold plunge, it releases hormones and brain chemicals that can improve your mood and relieve pain. Second is the dive reflex: When your face goes under water, your breathing and heart rate slow, calming you. An ice pack or cold cloth on your face works the same way.

This term describes activities that short-circuit your body's response to a stressful situation by forcing you to focus on something else. Guided imagery, breathing exercises, and body scanning are examples. So are tapping or squeezing acupressure points, and walking barefoot or lying in the grass.

The 3-3-3 technique is a popular grounding method. You mentally list three things each you can see, hear, and feel.

Gentle stretches, including some yoga poses, help release the muscle tension that stress can cause. Plus, research shows regular yoga can reduce your number of headache days. When stress builds, try:

• Neck circles
• Rolling your shoulders
• Lifting your arms over your head
• Arching and rounding your back
• Corpse pose (lying on your back)
• Child’s pose
• Downward dog
• Lying on your back with your legs extended up a wall

A regular fitness routine can lower your body's levels of stress hormones and boost production of brain chemicals called endorphins that make you feel good. If you start feeling stressed, even a short walk can help you calm down.  

Be aware, though, that strenuous exercise can be a migraine trigger for some people.