Since I was a sophomore in high school I have struggled with migraines and dealing with them has not been simple. The first thing to understand about migraines are that they are unique to each individual. There are many similar symptoms of migraines, however what triggers them can be very different based on the person. From light, screen time or even food migraines triggers are something that are often faced in daily life. Personally, the majority of my headaches are ocular migraines that are caused by eye strain. While we all might have different triggers, we can all agree that dealing with migraines is less than fun. Over these past years, especially in college, I have learned to manage my migraines. It certainly has not been easy and required a lot of support from family, friends, and my doctors. Through my experiences I have compiled some strategies that have helped me. Hopefully these tips will help you too on your own journey to managing your migraines.
1. Water and Sugar Drinks
This may seem obvious, and certainly with all the Tiktoks about staying hydrated. However, it is important to remember that drinking water regularly is a huge component of avoiding headaches. Always try to keep a water bottle with you so you have access to water at all times. Also find what kind of cup works for you. I find that I drink more water out of my Yeti with a straw than I do when I’m using either a glass or a water bottle. Also being near water isn’t always easy. Moving to college you likely are going from having easy access to having to walk out your room to the nearest fountain. If you are in a dorm room keeping a Brita (or something similar) can help not only for having filtered water but also having this easy access to refill your water, especially when your head is hurting.
On the topic of sugar drinks this definitely applies to both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks (of course depending on your age). Whenever I go to buy drinks, I always try to look at the sugar content. While sugar is not always avoidable perhaps try to choose the one with less, definitely when it comes to alcohol (you’ll thank me in the am). Just to note I have found that when it comes to food that I get headaches if I haven’t had sugar in a while. However, I worked on this myself by limiting the amount of sugar I eat overall (unfortunately). Altering what you eat, or drink can be unique to you and your triggers, so it can take a while to figure out what works best for you.
2. Healthy Room
One of the biggest changes that I have made in my life is having a healthy space. Creating a positive environment to live in helps not just my migraines but my health, both physical and mental. The first step I made was air quality. This stemmed from both my asthma and the fact that my college dorm room was one of the mustiest places I’ve ever been. Even though I used Damp Rid it wasn’t until I got an air purifier that my health started improving (I was sick multiple times because of mold). In my own house air purifiers have become a staple. We use them almost every day to make sure we are breathing in clean air. Having one of these in your room is certainly worth it.
When it comes to my light sensitivity it was difficult in college to avoid LED bright lights. In my dorm room I brought lamps with me, therefore I hardly ever had to use the overhead lighting. In my smaller lamp I used a 40-watt bulb that created warm lighting in the room and in the larger a 60-watt bulb. Having different lighting options made a huge difference in my room, plus the warm lighting made those four corner walls feel homier. Another lighting option I have is a salt lamp with a dimmer switch. This wasn’t my first lighting option for when I studied but instead for just relaxing in your room, doing yoga, reading or even cleaning. I also use my salt lamp when I start to have a bad headache and need to lay down. When this happened, I didn’t want to feel like I was laying down to sleep or nap because typically there was more to be done in the day. So, I’d turn on my salt lamp to the lowest setting which never bothered my light sensitivity, and I could close my eyes without fully sleeping. In about twenty minutes or so my head would start to feel better.
Last but not least, PLANTS. I personally love plants. My grandfather is a genetic botanist, so I have grown up around so many plants and flowers. There is literally a greenhouse attached to my garage. Moving into a dorm or even in an apartment natural light can be scarce. So having plants that don’t need direct sunlight or can be forgotten for two weeks and still survive is vital. Most succulents are great for this, including aloe plants (even though mine hates me). I have also had tropical planets and hanging plants that have done great. The key to plants is truly love or in other words care. You need to care for them correctly for them to thrive just as you would do for yourself. If you are interested here is more in-depth about caring for your planets. I recommended going over to Trader Joes or a local nursery and picking up a few. Trust me the difference in your space will be amazing. Without my plants my room always feel emptier but with them there is always more life.
3. Take breaks and get away from screens
Taking breaks has been one tool that I have used the most throughout work and school that has helped me manage my migraines. Understanding your limits and triggers is life changing when I come to migraines. Planning your activities to your personal energy threshold can help avoid oncoming migraines. When it comes to these activities, ones in particular you know causes headaches, take scheduled breaks. When I got my concussion back in high school my doctor told me to work for 20 minutes and take a break for 20 minutes. This practice was reiterated by my migraine doctors throughout the years, and it has worked amazingly. Of course, it doesn’t have to be exactly 20/20 (it isn’t for me anymore) but the concept is still the same. The times can work for you personally, for me it really depends on the activity that I am doing and how much my head is already hurting that day. If I am writing on my laptop I can typically work longer (especially if my head isn’t hurting). But classes online typically cause a migraine quicker, so I have to adjust my breaks. When it comes to studying or working don’t push yourself because it is only going to make you less productive later on when your head has started hurting.
Especially, within college you live on your laptop. Not just with online school, but in person too. You take notes, do research, and work on homework. Add in the time you spend on your phone and if you are watching TV or playing video games. Other than the recreational, screen time is practically unavoidable in school. Something I unfortunately had to learn during the lockdown and the shift to online school caused my migraines to skyrocket. Screen time is a big factor for me when I come to migraines. However, even if it is not one of your main triggers, time on screens can cause anyone headaches and may cause you to be more susceptible to migraines overall. To make screens more friendly try blue light glasses they can be a game changer.
4. Exercise*
My first disclaimer is that I am definitely not a gym girlie. One, I have asthma so my body basically hates breathing. However, exercise can really help with your migraines releasing those natural pain killers (endorphins). Therefore, while there are low strain exercises that I am still discovering I have relied on all coveted walking. Your first thought probably goes to the hot girl walk, fast pace and a slight (or not so slight) incline. While this is definitely a good suggestion, and one I have done many times. I am truly a fan of the way too long for anyone’s good outdoor walk. Walking outside, be it a nature walk or in the city, lets you set your own pace and direction. When I was in school my best friend and I would go on walks for miles, picking up food to take a break or drinks to bring along. Exercise whether it is outdoors or in the gym is a great time to listen to music, podcasts, recorded lessons or even audio textbooks. A suggestion though, like I said before, know your limits. If you feel lightheaded, nauseous or any symptom that could cause you a migraine don’t do more than you can handle. Remember it is ok not to complete things or go as far or as fast if it is better for your health. You can always try again.
5. Get outside
Being outside has its ups and downs. For me I have found mostly benefits to being outdoors. Going on easy walks has been one of the biggest things that I have found to help my stress. In college I would go on nighttime walks with my friends. This would get me into the fresh air and because it is at night there was less heat and no sun which helps with my light sensitivity. However, sunlight is an important tool to help your health. Cool sunny days are my favorite but if it happens to be hot make sure to limit your time because having heat/sun headaches are no fun. For my time outside I would pack my bag with all the essentials. Making sure that I had everything I needed to help me manage my migraines away from my dorm room. Doing activities outside helps your mood, anxiety, and health all factors in managing your migraines. So go outdoors and study, suntan, eat a snack or hang with friends.
6. Communicate
Communication about your migraines is very important and can help you avoid issues down the road. In my personal opinion it shouldn’t be your responsibility to have to explain your chronic migraines, but unfortunately that is how the world works. Therefore, at the start of every semester reach out to your professors about your migraines. Ask their expectations of your, their attendee policies and how to best succeed in their class. Being transparent about your migraines and limitations typically will help you navigate your courses easier. Though this suggestion can be rather difficult, personally for me I was only met a few times with understanding professors and the majority were not. Invisible illness can be difficult for people to understand but that is not on you, maybe my story in college can help. If possible, it may be a good idea to look into accommodations through your school to have more security or options when it comes to courses, policies and even test taking.
7. Caffeine (NOT SODA)
When I have a headache, I have found that caffeine can make a difference, both in energy and lessening my headaches. I have never really been a soda person, except for sprite and ginger ale. The taste wasn’t great, and neither was the effects it has on your health. Therefore, it was easier for me to choose alternative caffeine options. Tea has been the best option I have found, and what I would recommend for everyone. Not only does tea have many different kinds that have a variety of benefits, but it is definitely a healthier option. Therefore, when I start to get a headache I try to drink a cup of tea, typically green tea, to combat it.
8. Access to food
In college having 24-hour access to healthy food can be difficult (especially at a small school like I went to). I know that eating regularly can be hard, especially healthy food (something I am still working towards). Just like water though, eating regularly can help your headaches. I personally am a big lunch and dinner person, not breakfast. So, finding easy things to eat in the morning before work or class can give you more energy to go into your day and help your headaches. This also holds true to having easy snacks throughout the day. The best addition I made to my dorm room in college was a fridge. I could have food, cold water and even ice packs in my fridge that all helped with my migraines. Bringing food back from the dining hall and storing it in my fridge was also a great way to have food later and the next day if my migraines kept me from going back. Also living in a small college town there wasn’t access to a lot of good food at a range of hours. I think the latest dinner place closed at 9pm and lunch places closed at 3pm (which was definitely a lie because they closed their deli long before that). So having food in my dorm was incredibly important. This also applies to when you live in other places too. Having easy meals or snacks that make it easier to have food to eat can really encourage you to eat throughout the day. Truly, though, find what works for you. Eating when you can. Having foods you like available. Finding meals you become comfortable making. All these things can make a world of difference in your eating habits.
9. Tylenol is your friend
Having migraines is filled with trial and error. Throughout my experience I have been on many different perception medications trying to manage my migraines. The struggle with these medications was the side effects. Some would help my headaches but make me nauseous instead. Others were similar to this, sometimes helping my migraines but giving me a whole new set of symptoms. There was medication that could even affect mood, anxiety, or depression. Having medication that has the ability to alter these things was incredibly concerning to me, especially in college where the intensity of life was already high. That is why I was extremely cautious about medication like these. After years of trying to figure out what medication plan worked for me, I figured out that the best route for me personally was to keep up healthy habits and stick to Tylenol (something that has worked for me since I first got my concussion. I literally carry a bottle in my backpack in case I need it). This was because the symptoms that came with the medication had a worse effect on my body than a positive one. While this was my experience with migraine medication this may not be yours. My recommendation is talk to your doctor and work on a plan together to manage your migraines. If prescription medication doesn’t work for you like it didn’t for me try some of these tips in your life and they might just be the game changer in helping you lessen your headaches.
10. Relax
Relaxing is one of the most important lessons that I have learned. Sure, I can watch Netflix for hours straight or take afternoon naps. However, I’ll be sitting there with my jaw clenched or lying-in bed and realize my hands are in fists. The ability to recognize when this is happening and try to not be as tense has been a huge struggle for me. But trust me opening my hands, rolling back my shoulders and unclenching my jaw are little things that are the first steps to relaxing.
In life, especially in college, time is hard to come by. Therefore, here are my recommendations on how to relax in a sustainable way. The first is to use aroma therapy, whether it is oils on your skin, in a diffuser or incense (personally incense can increase my headaches, so I use a diffuser). Calming scents in your space can be relaxing while you do other activities, like work or just going about your day. Candles can be added to the scent list, but I would not have recommended them first. Strong candle scents have been a migraine trigger for my mother as long as I can remember. Therefore, I have gravitated towards light scents that are normally associated with calm feelings (I have two literally named “calm”). It is also important to note that oil scents can also help with energy as well. Having different oils that have different effects is definitely a smart idea.
Yoga or stretching can be really beneficial to relaxing and helping you sleep. While it may seem like yoga and stretching are the same thing, they definitely have their differences. Yoga is more than an exercise and stretching is a type of exercise. When I think of stretching, I think of actions that can be found in a sports warm-up or recommended by a physical therapist. Doing these stretches can help areas of your body that are tense. For me it’s my neck and my shoulders that get the tensest from being on my laptop so much. Doing stretches that help this has helped so that I don’t go to sleep tense and therefore can avoid waking up with a migraine. On the other hand, yoga is something that I encourage everyone to do. Morning or night it can help you focus, relax, and let go of stress. I took yoga in college and throughout my life and it can truly be centering. Helping you in a holistic way.
Overall, I have learned that migraines are anything but simple. They are not like a cold that goes away in a few days. Migraines can be grown out of but are likely something you will have to deal with for a long time. Therefore, managing your migraines and coming up with a plan for yourself can help. I hope that implementing these tips in your life can help you do just that.
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