How do headaches and sleep go together? Like PB and J, baby! One key to managing your headache pain, especially for people with Migraine, is to get on a consistent sleep schedule.
Sleep Patterns Can Trigger Migraine Attacks
Sleep plays an important role in the body from plasticity in the brain to immunity. Your sleep patterns can be a huge trigger for headaches, especially if you experience Migraine. Think about this - your body craves consistency. You might think getting in bed at 8pm some nights or midnight on others is no biggie. Guess what your body's thinking? It's stressin' out! The last thing you need is another layer of stress running rampant on your system. Fun fact - headaches are one of the leading symptoms of chronic stress. Fine...maybe not so fun, but eye-opening for sure. Give your body a break and get on a consistent sleeping schedule with a yoga bedtime routine.
Create a Yoga Bedtime Routine
Your body NEEDS to rest and recover from a regular day, but especially if your hormones are unbalanced from high levels of sustained stress and/or you're experiencing chronic pain. If you're prone to migraines and you lack a consistent bedtime routine, check out my top 3 tips below to create a sleep ritual that makes you excited to crawl in those covers at the same time each night.
- Write down 3 things that brought you joy during the day. This will help you focus on the positive and de-stress your mind. Keep a journal by your bed to help you remember to do this at night.
- Practice 5-8 rounds of pranayama (breath control) while you're laying in bed. This helps calm your nervous system and relaxes tension in your body.
- Meditate, meditate, meditate. Yes, its seriously an awesome way to drift off to sleep. Research shows that regular meditation helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night.
Getting on a regular sleep schedule is one way to manage your stress and headaches that you can start right now with my on-demand yoga videos. Remember, everyone is different. Some people do better with 7 hours of sleep and some with 10, so make sure you're feeling out what is best for YOUR body. Try out your new bedtime routine for the next 7 days and see how you feel!
About the Author:
Tiffany Lord is a corporate yoga coach and founder of Love + Asana, a virtual studio launched in 2016 offering workplace wellness sessions, workshops and program design. Her sessions incorporate movement and mindfulness focusing on benefits for stress relief and chronic pain. Tiffany’s fun, approachable style makes classes feel like you’re hanging out with friends while also improving your mental and physical health.
She is an E-RYT with the Yoga Alliance and currently enrolled in a 500-hour training with Yoga Medicine focusing on yoga applications for common range of motion issues. Continuing education in meditation, breathing techniques, myofascial release, yoga for COVID-19 recovery and training as a massage therapist help make her sessions relevant and beneficial to clients who want simple movement and mindfulness techniques that improve their quality of life. Her articles on wellness through yoga have been featured in online and print publications, such as fyi50+ and CO Yoga + Life magazine.
Questions? Contact Tiffany at loveandasana@gmail.com