Lifestyle adjustments. Irrespective of treatment modalities applied, trigger control and lifestyle modification are indispensable to the successful management of migraine (33). This is especially important in children, adolescents, or pregnant women where drug treatments must be especially limited.
Although there is no robust evidence for most of the recommendations, most are general health measures that, given the lack of adverse effects and the benefit for general well-being, we consider should be recommended in all patients.
Avoid triggers. Many patients attribute the onset or worsening of pain to specific triggers such as stress, sleep changes, food, or atmospheric changes, among others. It is even possible that the relationship occurs inversely, so that premonitory symptoms such as sleep disturbances and appetite 48 to 72 hours before the onset of pain can be misinterpreted by the patient as the trigger of migraine attacks. The therapeutic implications of this relationship are also unclear. There are possible triggers such as sleep deprivation, fasting, or certain foods that can be easily avoidable. But avoiding other triggers can lead to very restrictive lifestyles with a reduction in quality of life that does not outweigh the potential beneficial (24).
Sleep. Another complex relationship is headache and sleep. An excess or lack of sleep can trigger migraine attacks and at the same time rest is one of the most used treatments to improve the symptoms of the migraine attack. Additionally, migraine and other headaches occur comorbidly with sleep disorders. Patients with chronic migraine have a higher prevalence of sleep disorders, specifically poor sleep habits and nonrestorative rest (42).
Regarding general sleep measures for patients with headache, it is recommended to define regular sleep schedules that allow 8 hours of rest per day, insisting that they remain constant also during the weekend; have dinner 4 hours before bedtime and avoid liquids in the last two hours; and eliminate naps and avoid using screens, television, reading, or listening to music in bed. A nonpharmacological intervention to improve sleep habits can improve headache frequency and even reverse chronic to episodic migraine (08).
Diet. In the scientific literature, but especially in the informative websites and magazines, multiple and varied diets are proposed that aim to reduce the frequency of headaches. There are two main approaches: elimination diets, which consist of suppressing potentially triggering foods such as chocolate, alcohol, cheese, nuts, or citrus fruits and diets that provide high or low amounts of certain components, ie, rich in vitamin B12, B6, or D or low in histamine, lactose, or fatty acids. The studies are not very rigorous and most do not have a control group (34). In addition, it must be considered that food triggers were only associated with onset of headache in less than 10% of the participants (36).
Dietary recommendations for patients with migraine should be the same as for the general population with special emphasis on the prevention of obesity, which is a factor related to headache chronification. It is recommendable to have a varied diet, eating five meals a day to avoid periods of prolonged fasting and incorporating water intake to reach around 2.5 liters per day, which should be increased in case of physical activity or increase in temperature or humidity. Specific diets should be recommended solely based on whether there are other comorbidities in the patient (36).
Caffeine at moderate doses (< 400mg/day: equivalent to two cups of coffee) does not seem to have a negative effect on headache frequency although it should be taken regularly to avoid withdrawal headaches (34).
Although patients with migraine headaches and cluster headaches may be more susceptible to alcohol as a precipitant, there is no evidence to recommend abstinence from alcohol in all patients. Individual predisposition and cultural factors must be considered (15).
Exercise. Aerobic exercise can prevent or reduce symptoms of multiple chronic diseases, including headache. With some methodological limitations, there are studies that demonstrate benefits of aerobic exercise as a therapeutic intervention to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches, as well as the quality of life measured by questionnaires. Exercise can have a beneficial effect on headaches directly but also indirectly, improving sleep quality, mood, cardiovascular function, and preventing weight gain. In addition, it can improve the control of other diseases frequently comorbid with headache such as obesity, hypertension, anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders (26). The clinical benefit of yoga as an add-on therapy in patients with episodic migraine has been demonstrated (27).
Obesity. A higher body mass index is associated with greater frequency, intensity, and disability of migraine. Also keep in mind that the migraine preventive treatments (except topiramate) can potentially cause weight gain. Therefore, weight loss could improve the impact of the headache.
In patients with migraine headaches and overweight, education to avoid weight gain including dietary measures and frequent exercise should be added to their nonpharmacological treatment plan (09).