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1. Lifestyle Changes
Migraine is not a predictable disorder for all people. Simple things like changes to a normal routine can lead to a severely disabling migraine attack. Understanding how lifestyle affects the severity and frequency of attacks can be a large part of successful migraine prevention.
It is an unrealistic to expect anyone to completely change a certain life style. However, certain things are relatively easy to do. For example:
- Maintain regular sleep patterns. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.
- Exercise regularly. For example, aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week will help reduce frequency or severity of migraine.
- Eat regular meals, do not skip meals, and eat a good, healthy breakfast.
- Reduce stress. Limit stress by avoiding conflicts and resolving disputes calmly. Some people find it helpful to take a daily "stress break."
- Avoiding known triggers (see table on Common Triggers)
Establishing daily routines that help reduce migraine attacks is important for long-term migraine prevention. For example:
- Schedule a relaxation period that includes relaxation strategies such as:
- Take slow, deep breaths
- Focus the mind on a relaxing image or scene
- Try soft relaxing lighting and sounds
- Exercise on a regular basis, even if your daily routine changes (such as when traveling, when you have house guests, or when your workload increases).
- Maintain the medication treatment plan designed by you and your physician. Early intervention may help prevent the migraine from progressing into a severe, disabling attack.
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