One of the hardest parts of living with chronic migraines isn’t the pain—it’s the constant decision-making. Especially when it comes to exercise. On any given day, I have to ask myself: Is movement going to help me, or make this worse?
Fitness culture loves extremes: push through, no excuses, rest is weakness. Chronic migraines have taught me a completely different lesson. Working out during a migraine flare isn’t about pushing or quitting—it’s about knowing the difference between productive discomfort and real warning signs.
There’s a common belief that if you have a migraine, you shouldn’t move at all. For me, that isn’t always true.
Gentle movement can sometimes:
On lower-grade migraine days, movement can actually prevent my symptoms from spiraling—if I choose the right kind.
There are days when I feel a migraine coming on, but my body still feels capable. In those moments, I ask myself a few questions:
If it feels like the workout itself is hard, but my headache isn’t significantly worsening, I’ll push—gently. This usually looks like:
Pushing doesn’t mean ignoring my migraine. It means adjusting expectations while staying connected to my body.
Other days, it’s immediately clear that working out would do more harm than good. Signs I need to rest include:
On those days, rest isn’t giving up—it’s protecting myself from a longer, more intense flare.
Rest doesn’t always mean complete stillness. Especially for someone who values movement, rest can look like:
There’s no universal rule for working out with migraines. What works one day might not work the next. That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong—it means you’re responding to a complex condition with care.
Some days, progress looks like lifting heavier. Other days, it looks like stopping early or resting completely. You’re learning how to take care of your body—and that’s the strongest thing you can do.
Categories: Blog
Website by Morweb.org
Copyright 2021
