Last month I returned from a month-long trip to Ireland and Hong Kong to
celebrate my sister’s wedding. Traveling with migraine is no easy task, but it
can be done! Exercising while traveling can also be achieved if you take
advantage of different opportunities to move.
Here are a few of my ideas for how to travel well with migraine while off on
adventures.
- Plan ahead with medication & supplements
Make sure you have your migraine medication, heat/ice packs, supplements and
other comforts to help you through attacks. The fact is you will probably get
at least one attack while you are away, but if you can manage it quickly and
efficiently then it will be less stressful and take up less of your holiday
time. See if you can get this months and next months medication from the
pharmacy, and make sure to pack your prescriptions too in case you either run
out or get questioned about the drugs you are traveling with. I carried two
smalls purses, one in my suitcase the other in my handbag that had my
triptans, ibuprofen, ginger, asprin and paracetamol (aka tylenol) so I knew
that I wasn’t going to be stuck without them. When it came to taking my
supplements I carried one big container of them in my suitcase, and then I
took one of these snack containers in my day bag with enough for two full days
of supplements.
- Pack snacks
Along with medication, packing-head friendly snacks to take on the
plane/train/bus is so so helpful. It means you can feel confident about the
food you are eating (less stress) and make sure you don’t get low blood sugar,
a common trigger. I enjoyed taking sandwiches, pumpkin seeds, apples, popcorn
and corn thins on the road. Alicia from the Dizzy Cook also has some good
snack ideas like these sunbutter balls, yum.
- Stay somewhere with a kitchen
Look this isn’t always easy, and sometimes we just have to stay in hotels.
Hotels are lovely, but they don’t give us quite the flexibility of having our
own kitchen to prepare head-friendly meals in between eating out. I was able
to eat out plenty while we were away, but it was nice to have the option to
have a simple breakfast of toast or cereal, or eggs for lunch occasionally.
- Plan rest time
We want to see as much as we can on holiday, of course, it’s only natural. I
implore you though, plan for rest. Plan to give those weary legs some time up
on the couch. Schedule reading sessions or quiet afternoons at the
hotel/airbnb. You will enjoy the sightseeing you do even more, you will be
able to savour the busier moments and you might just avoid a migraine attack.
Oh and make sure you take a sleep mask for daytime snoozing…
- Be gentle with yourself
This follows from the last one, but be kind to yourself. Sure you might not be
able to do or see as much as you might of before you were unwell. It’s OK to
feel disappointed or frustrated but try to remember that you are doing your
best. Choosing to travel is a strong decision to start with, getting to your
destination is worth celebrating.
Exercising while on holiday can be tricky too, but it all depends on how we
frame it. If we see exercise as requiring a yoga mat or gym, then yes it might
be hard to fit in depending where you are. If instead, we try to look for the
movement opportunities then travel has plenty! We can walk for hours around
new cities or along a gorgeous coast line. We can swim in the ocean or lake,
or hire a bike and take a ride. If we want to go to a class then a new city is
the perfect opportunity to check out a new yoga teacher or method, or
something totally different like dance or Pilates if you have the energy. If
you don’t, that’s OK too. After all, holidays are for time off and doing what
you like! If you truly feel like resting the whole time then do so. Without
guilt!
I made it through our whirlwind journey across the globe with far fewer
attacks than I expected. I was able to rest, sight-see and enjoy walking the
gorgeous Irish countryside. It wasn’t easy, but I felt like I had everything I
needed to handle whatever migraine threw at me and it wasn’t as dreadful as I
had feared!
If you are planning a trip good luck and enjoy! I hope you have a wonderful
time.
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