Exercise can be as beneficial for your mental health as it is for your physical health. Which is a good thing for those living with migraine. Although it may be hard to exercise during a migraine attack, it’s important to try when you aren’t having one.
Evidence suggests regular exercise can help reduce the frequency of headache attacks.
Why Exercise?
Exercise can help manage the symptoms and triggers of migraine in a few different ways. Exercise releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins also induce positive feelings and a sense of well-being which can be beneficial for those facing an increased risk of anxiety and depression.
Exercise can improve sleep quality and consistency and help relieve stress, which are common migraine triggers.
Getting Started
Before starting an exercise program, it’s important to check with your doctor. To prevent stress and overexertion slowly introduce exercise into your routine. By pacing yourself, preparing for your routine with the right gear and carefully considering your diet, you can help reduce the risk of exercise-induced migraine attacks and get the most out of a workout.
Don’t forget diet and hydration with any exercise program
As you add more physical activity into your life, you should pay attention to your diet and water levels. Thirst is a sign that your body is low on fluids, which is a migraine trigger for many. It is important to stay hydrated, which means drinking water before and after your workout and throughout the rest of the day.
Many people living with migraine already monitor their diets closely to reduce their exposure to food triggers. If you’re increasing your physical activity, consider that you may have to alter your diet to meet your changing caloric needs.
Designing a Workout Plan
Ideally, an exercise program should include the following three elements: cardio, muscular strength endurance and flexibility training. Cardio activities include walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, jumping rope. You can increase muscular strength with body-weight exercises such as pushups, squats, lunges or lifting free weights. Flexibility can be improved with yoga or Pilates. An effective exercise plan combines all three elements whether in the same workout session or spread across multiple sessions on different days.
When deciding what to include in your routine, choose activities you enjoy to help you stay motivated. Physical activity should be fun. Consider using different workouts or setting challenges, like entering a future event that you need to train for. Activities like Pilates and yoga, require both concentration and discipline.
A lot of exercise can be done for free, or for a relatively low cost. Taking a walk around your suburb, stretching at home or following an online yoga or fitness class can make a big difference in your health.
Exercise Headache
Some people experience headaches when exercising. This type of headache can last between five minutes to 48 hours and may have features similar to that of a migraine attack. If you experience headaches from exercise you should see your doctor to rule out other health issues. Warming up before exercising may help reduce the frequency and duration of attacks.
If you would like to discuss how an exercise plan could help you, or you need help designing a plan best for you, speak to our Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist at the TMJ & Headache Clinic.
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