Sleep and Migraine

Sleep and migraine, makes me crazy. I have such fatigue yet get insomnia, wake up with a migraine and never fully feel rested. Sleep is so important for so many reasons to help treat, prevent and balance My Migraine Life.

Pain is Exhausting

My body is constantly fighting pain.  As you can imagine, that makes me exhausted.  Sleeping and downtime are both forced upon me and required to recover or survive.  It is forced upon me by extreme nausea, joint and muscle pain, intense sensitivities, and of course head pain. These are all symptoms of migraine and fatigue is hard to battle.

Best Sleep Environment for Migraine

Giving myself a comfortable place to rest and sleep is important, especially with migraine.  Blackout shades plus curtains help when even the clock on my tv is too bright.  I have yet to find a perfect pillow I love, but I love my bed!  We have a Christeli (not an affiliate, just a fan!) and it is amazingly comfortable.  I get CRAZY hot when I sleep.  My husband feels my body radiate heat yet I always feel cold.  My mattress sleeps cooler than our last bed and gives me better sleep. I go to bed and wake up most of the time with a migraine attack. Having a comfortable place to sleep and escape to my cave helps treat my migraine.

Falling Asleep with Migraine

It is difficult for me to fall asleep in general.  Sometimes the pain flutters my eyes open and my body clenches so it is hard to relax.   I have eucalyptus hand lotion, peppermint essential oil, water, and an Allay green lamp on my nightstand to try to relax me.  I find that I tend to breathe deeper and slower with these things.

Everyone’s preference for smells is completely unique though. Sometimes they help me, other times the smell of anything makes me sicker.   I typically take my meds, drink some water, ice, and hibernate.  I lay under the blankets to eliminate more light and sound and sometimes pile pillows on top to have added pressure.

All these things help give me the sleep that I need with migraine.  Being in pain is so grueling and giving the body a chance to recover is crucial.   I do not think people fully understand the need for rest, sleep, and a chance to eliminate triggers.  A calm environment and integrative approach allow my brain to relax after being in constant overdrive in my loud, bright, motion-filled life.  I need sleep, rest, and a cave.