Why Progressive Muscle Relaxation Should Be in Your Migraine Toolbox

That’s why a comprehensive approach to migraine management is so important. Lifestyle habits such as prioritizing sleep, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and eating healthy foods can also play a major role in migraine management. PMR is another strategy you can use to help you better manage the day-to-day impact of migraine.

With PMR, while you're focusing on tensing and relaxing your muscles and shutting out the outside world, you’re also inducing a state of relaxation.

“The distraction and focus required produces a calming effect, as does the more measured, slower breathing throughout the exercise,” says Regina Krel, MD, director of the headache center at the Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. And because stress and muscle tension are closely linked to migraine patterns, PMR may help reduce the physical and emotional load that can contribute to migraine symptom severity and disruption.

“Muscle tension can be a trigger, but it can also be part of the migraine attack itself,” explains Dr. Krel. “While it’s important to track symptoms, practicing exercises that help you tune into your body and put it in relaxation mode offers another resource for managing migraine.”

Practicing PMR on a regular basis is key to reaping its benefits. “PMR should be done daily, if possible,” suggests Krel. PMR can be practiced in short sessions, often 10 minutes or less, and you can use mobile apps, online videos, or audio recordings to guide you. App examples include Calm and Superchill, and Therapy in a Nutshell.

Once you get the hang of PMR, you can do it on your own, too. Here are ways to add PMR to your daily migraine management routine:

• Stick to a certain time of day. You might do PMR first thing in the morning, midday on your lunch break, or at night as you prepare for bed. “Instead of counting sheep, focus on relaxing your toes, then legs, then arms, neck and shoulders,” says Krel.
• Use PMR when stress arises. PMR can also be done when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, waiting at the airport for a delayed flight, or sitting through a stressful meeting.
• Try it when you have migraine warning signs. If you experience early migraine symptoms or “auras,” doing a short PMR session can help soothe neck and upper back muscles.

However, if you’re already in the midst of a full-blown migraine attack, it’s best to skip PMR — at that point, it may actually increase your pain.

Over time, PMR can become a practical coping tool for managing stress and migraine-related disruptions in your life.