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Lifestyle Adaptations

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Identifying and understanding triggers can be crucial for managing and preventing migraine attacks. Lifestyle adaptations, such as changes in diet, exercise, and stress management, can help mitigate these triggers. Learning to recognize and adjust to these factors is a key step in improving overall well-being for those living with headaches and migraines.

Understanding Triggers and Lifestyle Adaptations

Sometimes, lifestyle adaptations will involve eliminating something entirely (like a particular type of food), but more often it is about moderation, pacing, and habit-forming. Here is some introductory information about triggers and lifestyle adaptations in general to help you get started.

Migraine Triggers: Avoid or Cope?

Migraine Triggers: Avoid or Cope?

Migraine attacks can be triggered by various factors. While it’s impossible to avoid all triggers, identifying your specific ones through a migraine diary can be helpful. Understanding the...

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Sleep

The relationship between sleep and headache is often unclear, but we do know that sleep disturbance and headache often occur together. Disturbed sleep may contribute to triggering an attack, or the headache itself may disrupt sleep. Improving sleep should beis therefore a priority for many people with migraine and other headache disorders.

Caffeine and Migraine

Caffeine and Migraine

Coffee is a staple in many people’s lives, and caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant, plays a significant role in our daily routines. However, caffeine has both benefits and drawbacks for...

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Sleep Apnea and Migraine

Sleep Apnea and Migraine

Sleep apnea and migraine are two prevalent but often interconnected conditions that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. Sleep apnea, characterized by disruptions in breathing...

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Exercise

Studies show that regular physical activity can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. However, adopting a consistent exercise routine can be a challenge, especially if you are doing it for the first time! Our resources can help you understand the evidence around physical activity and migraine, and create an exercise plan that works for you.

Occupational Therapy & Migraine

Occupational Therapy & Migraine

Presented by: Annie Ledoux, occupational therapist, MSc, Migraine Quebec's Instructor. Learn what OT is, how it applies to migraine treatment, and the ways it can support you in reclaiming control...

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Exercise and Migraine

Exercise and Migraine

Explore the impact of exercise on migraine. From boosting pain tolerance through endorphin release to regulating sleep patterns and enhancing overall well-being, exercise offers promising benefits...

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Can Physiotherapy Improve Migraine?

Can Physiotherapy Improve Migraine?

Physiotherapy has been studied for its potential to improve migraine, despite the challenges in conducting such studies due to the variety of approaches and the reliance on patient cooperation...

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Physiotherapy Exercises for Migraine

Physiotherapy Exercises for Migraine

Physiotherapy exercises offer promising relief for various types of headaches, including cervicogenic headaches, tension headaches, and migraine, which can be linked to joint or muscle dysfunctions....

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Eating and Drinking

Did you know that the food you eat can trigger migraines? Read about the science behind diet and migraine, and find out how food choices can help you to manage your migraines effectively.

The Ketogenic Diet for Migraine

The Ketogenic Diet for Migraine

Explore the ketogenic diet's intriguing potential as a promising tool for managing migraine. Originally developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy, this high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carbohydrate...

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Hydration and Migraine

Hydration and Migraine

Dehydration is a common migraine trigger, occurring when the body loses more fluids than it takes in. This imbalance affects the body's water and ion levels, potentially leading to migraine attacks....

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Caffeine and Migraine

Caffeine and Migraine

Coffee is a staple in many people’s lives, and caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant, plays a significant role in our daily routines. However, caffeine has both benefits and drawbacks for...

read more

Diary

Keeping a headache diary is a valuable tool for tracking migraine patterns, identifying triggers, and communicating with your healthcare team. It is also often required by insurance companies and provincial government insurers, making this a critical practice for almost everyone who is seeking migraine care. Check out our how-to guide on keeping a migraine diary, and download our app to start tracking right away.

Canadian Migraine Tracker App

Canadian Migraine Tracker App

The Canadian Migraine Tracker App was designed hand-in-hand with Canadian neurologists, primary care providers, patients and advocates. It is easy to use and expertly designed, giving your provider the right information in the right way so you can get the help you need.

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Printable Migraine Diary Templates

Printable Migraine Diary Templates

A migraine diary is an essential tool for anyone managing migraine. Migraine Canada’s printable diary templates are designed to help track important details like timing, duration, intensity, and...

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Stress

Stress is a well-known migraine trigger. Learning to manage stress through techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation exercises using our resources below!

Explore Other Treatments

Alongside lifestyle adaptations, you may wish to explore other treatments to prevent attacks or relieve symptoms. Here are some links to help you see what options are available in Canada!

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Preventive
Treatments

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Acute
Treatments

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Procedures &
Injections

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Neuromodulation
Devices