AHS 2022 | Lifestyle management and recommendations in headache care

With lifestyle being an important factor concerning general wellbeing, Lauren Natbony, MD, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, discusses the usefulness of lifestyle management and recommendations in headache care. There has always been an emphasis on the importance of routine; it can impact most aspects of an individual’s life, helping develop behaviors that, in turn, can grow into a healthier lifestyle. As an important factor in lifestyle management, routine behaviors such as sleep, exercise, eating, and hydration are all key to good health. Regular exercise and sleep have the most evidence to support their role in migraine management. Sleep disorders are comorbid with migraine; thus, treating them is also important. Concerning exercise, many studies support its role in migraine management. Aerobic exercise is better than anaerobic exercise, with high-intensity interval training being more beneficial than moderate, continuous exercise. On the other hand, exercise must be eased into, with yoga being a suitable exercise for individuals suffering greatly from migraines. Regarding diet, consistency has also shown to be beneficial for headache management – yet there is potential for future studies in this space. Lifestyle recommendations are orientated around a proactive approach; eating high-quality food is preferable to processed foods and eliminating entire food groups. Furthermore, there is little evidence correlating hydration to migraine frequency – inferring that other lifestyle management practices may have a greater impact on headache management. This interview took place during the 2022 American Headache Society (AHS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Denver, CO.