How Mindfulness Programs Can Help People With Migraine

Mindfulness is the practice of being consciously aware of what’s happening inside and outside your body.¹ The idea is to be present, pay attention, and notice without judgment or reaction.¹ We all have the capacity to be mindful.

Evidence shows that structured mindfulness programs may reduce stress and anxiety, improve overall well-being, and even change how we experience pain.^2,3,4 These programs use specific practices that can support migraine and pain management.

Understanding Mindfulness Techniques

When mindfulness is used as a treatment approach, most research focuses on two structured interventions: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Both are typically eight-week programs centered on developing mindful awareness.

MBSR teaches a variety of meditation practices, such as body scans, gentle movement, walking meditation, and breathing exercises.² Participants learn how to respond differently to stress and discomfort.²

MBCT builds on MBSR by incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy.² This approach focuses on recognizing unhelpful thought patterns and developing more adaptive responses.² It also encourages changes in behavioral habits, such as sleep and medication use.² While both programs use similar skills, MBCT incorporates skills beyond meditation to change how you think and live.

How Mindfulness Programs Can Help Migraine

Mindfulness-based programs have been studied primarily as a way to reduce or prevent migraine attacks.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can help people manage migraine in several ways. They may change how pain is experienced, making it feel less intense or distressing.⁵ They may improve coping with both the anticipation of an attack and the attack itself.⁵ Mindfulness can reduce stress and increase awareness of early migraine symptoms.⁵ This can help people respond and treat an attack sooner.⁵

Over time, these changes may improve the overall quality of life and make migraine more manageable.

Evidence for Mindfulness Programs in Migraine Management 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) appear most effective in reducing headache-related disability in people with episodic migraine.^6,7,8,9 Research findings have consistently shown reductions in headache-related disability with either MBSR or MBCT; whereas reductions in monthly headache days have been more mixed.^6,7,8,9

However, in one study of adults with chronic migraine and medication overuse headache (also known as medication adaptation headache), six mindfulness sessions combined with 7–10 minutes of daily self-practice over twelve months led to drops in headache frequency, medication use, and disability scores.¹⁰

Mindfulness has also shown benefits for younger populations. In a program for adolescents aged 12–18 with chronic or high-frequency migraine, participants reduced their headache days from about 21 per month to roughly 10 after one year.¹¹ Nearly two-thirds saw notable improvements, including a reduction in monthly headache days by half or more.¹¹ Participants used less medication.¹¹ They also saw improvements in daily functioning, anxiety, depression, and negative thinking.¹¹

Setting Expectations for Mindfulness

While mindfulness programs can provide meaningful benefits, it’s important to have realistic expectations. Mindfulness is not a cure for migraine, but it may help reduce pain severity and improve quality of life for some people.⁵

Mindfulness tends to be most effective when practiced consistently and used alongside other treatments.

Safety Considerations Before Trying Mindfulness Programs

Although studies have not reported major adverse events, mindfulness may not be appropriate for everyone. Anyone considering a new therapy should speak with their healthcare provider first. Mindfulness-based programs are generally not recommended for people who experience dissociative symptoms or re-experience symptoms from past trauma.¹²

Structured Courses

People interested in research-based structured interventions can enroll in online or in-person courses. Some universities offer MBSR or MBCT programs, for example:

• UNC School of Medicine Mindfulness Classes
• Brown University Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
• UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness Classes

Mindfulness Techniques and Starting Small

For those who don’t participate in an MBSR or MBCT program, there is no concrete evidence to date that at-home or self-guided mindfulness can help with migraine. However, people who practice mindfulness for overall well-being may notice benefits such as improved focus, better memory, and greater stress management.¹³

Mindfulness can be practiced in small, simple ways. For example, routine tasks such as eating a snack or combing your hair can be opportunities to notice the present moment.

Spending time outdoors can also help. Activities such as walking in your neighborhood or visiting a park give you a chance to engage your senses and observe sensations without judgment.¹⁴

Other self-guided mindfulness techniques include:¹⁴

• Body scans
• Breathing exercises 
• Sitting or walking meditation
• Guided imagery

Need More Guidance or Tools?

Getting started with mindfulness can be as simple as pausing to notice sensations. Here are some resources for structured practice:

Online programs and tools

• The non-profit Miles for Migraine has a mindfulness series on YouTube
• Yale University has free mindfulness practice recordings

Apps

Many apps offer guided meditation and breathing exercises. The most popular are Headspace and Calm. Researchers who studied popular meditation apps note that engaging with your phone can be counterproductive, as a key principle of mindfulness is paying attention to what is going on within and around you.

Takeaways

As interest in mindfulness-based interventions grows, research suggests they can be a helpful tool for managing migraine. Evidence supports structured, instructor-led programs—such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)—over self-guided home practice for preventive treatment. Mindfulness appears to be more effective for episodic migraine than chronic migraine and has been shown to reduce headache-related disability. It should be used as an adjunct to standard migraine treatment. Overall, mindfulness-based approaches may improve well-being and quality of life.  

References

1. https://dictionary.apa.org/mindfulness
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7213534/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8083197/
4. https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.14481
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7213534/#R88
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7737157/
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6788949/
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8382359/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25041058/
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10347788/
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8619568/
12. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9024164/
13. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/evoking-calm-practicing-mindfulness-in-daily-life-helps-202110142617
14. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356

Author

Molly O’Brien is a freelance Journalist and Communications Specialist originally hailing from the Seattle area. After graduating summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Molly traveled coast-to-coast working in local news. Molly was diagnosed with episodic migraine before the age of four, then turned chronic in her mid-twenties. Disease progression has severely impacted every facet of her life as she tries to balance migraine disease, a career, parenthood, and everyday life.