With crime on the increase, terrorism running rampant in many parts of the world, and the possibility of war in places, most of us are bound to be experiencing increased stress and anxiety. Stress is a known trigger for tension headaches. Newer theories of Migraine triggers indicate that stress itself is not a Migraine trigger, but it is an aggravator. That means that stress can make a Migraineur more susceptible to their Migraine triggers.
Here are some suggestions for reducing our stress and anxiety:
- Limit the amount of time spent watching or listening to news broadcasts and/or reading newspapers and online news.
- Don't "put on a brave front" for everyone. Discuss your fears with friends and family.
- If you have children, depending on their ages, you may or may not want to let them watch or read portions of the news with you so you can explain it to them. Whether you do that or not, the most important thing is to reassure your children that there are thousands of men and women working to keep us safe.
- Try to keep a regular schedule. Irregular meal times and sleeping schedules are often triggers even at the best of times.
- Keep busy. Work on that "to do" list.
- Start or maintain a habit of taking time to listen to a relaxation tape or CD daily.
- Exercise. Stretch, walk, swim. Exercise to work through nervous energy.
- Unless there are medical reasons not to, try some aromatherapy. Lemongrass and Mandarin essential oils are very uplifting. Chamomile, Rosewood, and Lavender are very relaxing. You can use a few drops in a diffuser, add a few drops to your bath water, or sprinkle a few drops in the bottom of your tub or shower before showering.
- If you believe in God or another higher power, set aside time for prayer and/or meditation. Some are also comforted by the use of prayer beads or rosaries. Even having them in your pocket can be reassuring.
- At work, have a picture of your family, a relaxing nature print, or other soothing images near you.
- Light some candles in your bathroom and take a bubble bath.
- Pamper yourself and your loved ones.
- Do something nice for someone else.
- Be sure that you have your medications filled and handy. That will be one less thing to worry about.
- Have a plan in place for family members to communicate in case of emergency. Even though you may never need it, having a plan in place will make you feel better.
Stress and anxiety can trigger head pain, but there's a great deal we can do for ourselves to reduce these feelings. We're living in trying times. Let's all do what we can to head off or handle stress and anxiety. Working through our feelings and actually doing things to reduce these feelings will help us feel more in control and save ourselves from additional headaches and Migraine attacks.
