Migraines are the mother of all headaches. Really, they are not even in the same ballpark as a simple headache, but if you’ve never had one, it can be difficult to understand the intensity of a full-blown migraine.
But if you are a migraine sufferer you understand all too well why it’s the 6th most disabling illness in the world. More than 90 percent of those afflicted are unable to work or function normally during an attack… which can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours.
And though there are myriad drugs on the market to choose from, their effectiveness is all over the place… much like the individual triggers that can, in an instant, steal your best day and propel you into a nightmare of misery.
Most of these drugs only provide partial relief, if at all, and leave you saddled with side effects like nausea, vomiting, weight gain and constipation.
But there is one solution that’s showing promise…
And the only side effects you’ll experience are peace, relaxation and, hopefully, fewer migraines. All you have to do is close your eyes, sit quietly and meditate.
It may be hard to believe that meditation can relieve pain as excruciating and persistent as migraine pain. But the latest science says daily meditation can alleviate your migraines considerably…
A research study published in the journal Behavioral Medicine found that chronic migraine sufferers who meditated for 20 minutes per day significantly cut back on the frequency of their migraines and the amount of medication used to treat them.
In the study, researchers divided participants into four groups. Each group was assigned a different type of meditation to practice for 20 minutes per day over a 30-day period.
Now, people in all four groups experienced benefits from regular meditation regardless of the type of meditation they practiced. But one type of meditation stood out from the pack for its ability to reduce migraine pain — spiritual meditation.
Spiritual meditation relates to God or has some kind of transcendental focus. Study participants in the spiritual meditation group focused their mind on a spiritual mantra like “God is love” during their daily meditation — and their faith paid off. People in the remaining three groups practiced one of the following types of meditation:
- Internal secular meditation where they focused their thoughts on a secular mantra like “I am content,” “I am joyful,” “I am good,” “I am happy.”
- External secular meditation where they focused their thoughts on a secular mantra like “Grass is green,” “Sand is soft,” “Cotton is fluffy,” “Cloth is smooth.”
- Relaxation meditation where they progressively tensed and released all the muscle groups in their bodies.
All of these meditation methods worked to some degree or another. But spiritual meditators cut down migraine frequency and medication usage more than any other group. Here’s a quick rundown of the meditation method they followed for a month to get the best results of all. Try it for yourself and see if it works for you. It’s free of charge and side effects. So what do you have to lose? Other than your migraines…
- Wear comfortable clothing and sit in a quiet room without distractions (no T.V., phone, music, pets, kids, tablets, etc.)
- Sit in any position you’d like, as long as it doesn’t make you want to fall asleep.
- Choose a spiritually-inspired phrase of your choice. People in the study used phrases like “God is peace,” “God is joy,” “God is good” and “God is love.” People who were uncomfortable with the word “God” replaced it with “Mother Earth.” You could also use “Goddess,” “The Universe,” “Spirit,” or any spiritual term you feel most comfortable with.
- Begin by repeating the phrase aloud a few times to focus your mind.
- Then focus on the phrase silently in your mind. You can also think about how this phrase is reflected in your life.
- If your mind begins to wander, repeat the phrase out loud again to refocus yourself.
- Practice this meditation for at least 20 minutes per day. Choose the same time every day to meditate. This is a good way to make sure you always squeeze it in to your busy schedule.
Source:
B. Wachholtz, C.D. Malone, K. I. Pargament. “Effect of Different Meditation Types on Migraine Headache Medication Use.” Behavioral Medicine, 2015;
https://migraineresearchfoundation.org/about-migraine/migraine-facts/
