3 Ways I Support My Migraine Relief Meds
When I became a mom, there were some things I didn’t know were a thing until I discovered they were a thing. Like I’d heard tales about the lack of sleep thing, but what did it mean if my baby was “overstimulated?” I may not have known the technical term, but my son quickly showed me what it meant. When my little guy had enough of the bright, loud world, the cranky version of him took over. His energy would plummet, and he’d cry, wanting to retreat to a calm, quiet space.
Supporting my abortive migraine medications
When my son needed to decompress, we’d take a break in my dimly lit bedroom. Sitting together in the quiet, I felt my body shift to a calmer place too. One day this happened when I’d just taken my sumatriptan relief medication for my oncoming migraine. I was surprised to discover that my medicine worked better. My migraine left my head faster and with no lingering head pain distracting me. So now, I try to help my overstimulated migraine brain decompress when taking my relief meds. Here are 3 ways I support my relief medication in order to get some relief.
Resting in a dark room
Stealing a page from my son’s parenting handbook, taking a break in a dark, quiet room works wonders. Over the years, I’ve found that resting for as long as I can while my relief medicine is in its beginning stages helps it to work more effectively. Strangely, I’ve also found that falling asleep at this stage can push my migraine into being, so I’m careful to focus on resting instead of sleeping.
Closing my eyes
There are times when retreating to a comfy, cozy dark room just isn’t an option. This is when I do my best to find quiet moments to rest my eyes. I’ve closed my eyes and sat longer in my parked car, excused myself to stay in the bathroom longer, and even closed my eyes while watching a movie. Sure, this may seem a little odd at a party, but I'd break into a smooth jazz routine in the grocery store if I thought it would stop an oncoming migraine.
Taking a deep breath
Studies show that deep breathing regulates the nervous system and promotes emotional well-being. This is why I try to breathe deep while my medicine is doing its best to kick in—it helps me work through the pain that’s setting in as well.
My son has taught me new things
My son teaches new life lessons every day, but I hadn’t counted on him schooling me in how best to handle an oncoming migraine. I’m not sure why these little assists have been so helpful, and, of course, there have been many times my migraine has been too stubborn to be pushed away. But knowing I have some ways to help my medicine help me, well...is a help when I feel that migraine coming on.
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