Q My migraines get worse when I'm stressed or don't sleep well. Is there a way to manage this?
A Stress and lack of sleep are the two major migraine triggers. Regular sleep (7 to 8 hours), abdominal breathing, and mindfulness meditation can help reduce headache frequency.
Detailed Answer
Stress raises cortisol secretion and lowers the migraine threshold, while lack of sleep disrupts the serotonin-dopamine balance and triggers attacks. Catching up on sleep over the weekend (when sleep time increases more than two hours beyond weekdays) can also bring on a "weekend migraine." Maintaining regular bedtimes and wake times is the most important non-pharmacological prevention method.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang we consider that overwork and lack of sleep consume Qi and Blood, leaving insufficient blood to nourish the head (Blood Deficiency), while at the same time the Liver's yang loses control and surges upward. We recommend 10 minutes of abdominal breathing a day to ease sympathetic nervous tension, and loosening the back of the neck with a warm towel as basic self-care. Combined with in-clinic treatment, the effect is doubled.
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