What I Do on Sunday that Helps Reduce Migraines

Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. It helps us replenish our energy. It helps us to avoid burnout. It also allows me to binge on the latest Netflix series. (Stranger Things anyone?)

While I love the idea (and the reality) of this deep rest, there's a habit that I've weaved into my Sunday routine that has been a game-changer for my week...Planning.

Yup, sounds super simple and quite obvious, right? But the planning that I do for my week on Sunday actually reduces my risk of migraine triggers during the week. It reduces stress and increases my chances of sticking with my healthy habits. So, what's so special about my planning?

Meal planning and avoiding migraine triggering foods

First, I plan my meals for the week. I start by looking at my schedule for the week. Will I be home for meals, on the road, at restaurants? Based on my schedule I'm then able to think from a bigger picture the importance of planning healthy meals when I'm in full control of my food. I'm more inspired to stock my kitchen with healthy foods and often times even prep some meals in advance. (The crockpot and InstaPot are a dream come true for easy meal prep!)

The better I can plan my meals in advance, the greater my chances are of avoiding migraine triggering foods.

Planning for consistent exercise

While I'm looking at my calendar, I schedule in my exercise. I know that consistent exercise reduces my risk of getting a migraine. And if something is on the calendar, it's more likely to actually happen. I always don't have to think about whether or not I'm going to exercise or not during the week because the decision is already made. The only thing I need to do then is just show up during the week for my scheduled exercise.

Priority planning to reduce stress

Last but certainly not least, I identify the top three things that must get done during the week. Once again, it forces me to look at things from a broader perspective and doing so in a time when I'm relaxed, not stressed, so the mind can think more clearly.

I write those goals down. There's so much research to actually prove the importance of actually writing goals down. (Want to increase your chance of success even more? Share your goals with a close family or friend - your chance of achieving those goals is even higher.)

Of course, once I have those goals identified and written, I do my best to tackle them early in the week. Not only does this reduce my level of stress and increase my productivity but it also positions me really well should a migraine pop up - I can rest at a more peaceful place because I'm not behind on all my commitments, I'm actually ahead of the game. Not every week is perfect but if I can do this most weeks it's helpful.

Are you a Sunday planner? If so, tell us what works best for you!