Habit 1: Regular Aerobic Exercise

Habit 1: Regular Aerobic Exercise

What is it?

High-intensity cardio workouts like treadmill, Zumba, and running are useful in relieving period migraines.

Regimen:

• What - High-intensity cardio workouts (treadmill, Zumba, running)

• How much - Minimum 3x a week, 30mins a day.

• When - Recommended throughout the month/cycle, apart from during menstruation (unless already in the habit or able to tolerate high physical activity during menstruation)

• How long - At least 12 weeks (or 3 menstrual cycles)

How does it work?

Doing exercise daily and not only during periods has major health benefits in the long run.

Increased blood circulation: Exercising increases blood circulation in the body and therefore helps in reducing pain in the body, including cramps and headaches.¹

What is the efficacy?

Methods: The evidence comes from two reviews that pulled together multiple trials and one clinical study that directly compared treatments. In these studies, people with migraine were asked to do regular aerobic exercise, usually 30–40 minutes, three times a week, over about 10–12 weeks. The reviews looked at how exercise changed migraine frequency, duration, and pain compared to no exercise or medicines. The clinical trial compared exercise with relaxation training and a common migraine drug (topiramate).^2,3,4

Results: People who did regular aerobic exercise had about 0.6 fewer migraine days per month after 10–12 weeks. Some studies also showed migraines were 20–27% shorter and pain was 20–54% less intense, though results varied. In one clinical trial, exercise reduced monthly attacks by about 0.8–1.0, which was very similar to relaxation training and the migraine drug topiramate. Overall, exercise showed consistent but modest benefits for migraine relief.

Conclusion: Regular aerobic exercise can modestly reduce the number, length, and pain of migraines, working about as well as relaxation training or medication. Exercise is a safe and helpful option that may benefit women with period-related migraines.

References

1. Sanchez BN, Kraemer WJ, Maresh CM. Premenstrual syndrome and exercise: A narrative review. Women. 2023;3(2):348–64. doi:10.3390/women3020026.

2. Reina‐Varona Á, Madroñero‐Miguel B, Fierro‐Marrero J, Paris‐Alemany A, La Touche R. Efficacy of various exercise interventions for migraine treatment: a systematic review and network meta‐analysis. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. 2024 Jul;64(7):873-900.

3. Lemmens J, De Pauw J, Van Soom T, Michiels S, Versijpt J, Van Breda E, Castien R, De Hertogh W. The effect of aerobic exercise on the number of migraine days, duration and pain intensity in migraine: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. The journal of headache and pain. 2019 Dec;20(1):16.

4. Varkey E, Cider Å, Carlsson J, Linde M. Exercise as migraine prophylaxis: a randomized study using relaxation and topiramate as controls. Cephalalgia. 2011 Oct;31(14):1428-38.