If you live with headaches or migraines, it’s easy to feel like your only option is medication. But there are simple, practical steps you can take at home to start supporting your body’s natural healing process. In a recent episode of The Headache Doctor Podcast, Dr. Taves shared three foundational actions that anyone can begin today to improve their headache or migraine symptoms.
1. Breathe Through Your Nose
Breathing through the nose helps shift the body from a constant state of fight-or-flight into a calmer “rest and digest” mode. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing your body to heal and repair.
Nasal breathing also stimulates nitric oxide production in the sinuses, which improves blood flow and supports tissue healing. If you wake up with a dry mouth, jaw pain, or morning headaches, it could be a sign you’re mouth breathing at night. Practical steps include:
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Reminding yourself during the day to keep lips sealed and breathe through the nose.
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Using a nasal strip or gentle mouth taping at night.
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Considering Xylitol sprays (like Xlear) to clear nasal passages.
2. Improve Your Sleep Position
Your sleep position has a major impact on morning headaches and tension throughout the day. Dr. Taves says that stomach sleeping “puts quite a bit of stress through the neck” as it forces the head to rotate nearly 90 degrees for hours at a time.
Better options include:
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Side sleeping with proper pillow support between the knees, under the head, and hugged to the chest.
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Back sleeping (if nasal breathing is possible) for optimal neck support.
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Avoiding “pseudo stomach sleeping,” where your body twists halfway onto the stomach.
3. Incorporate Daily Movement
Movement throughout the day reduces tension in the neck and shoulders and helps prevent headaches. Dr. Taves emphasized that “standing is better than sitting, walking is better than standing”.
Key strategies include:
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Taking walking breaks during the workday.
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Avoiding sitting for long stretches.
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Aiming for at least 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking, cardio, or light strength training.
This level of activity not only supports overall health but can also provide pain-relieving effects similar to migraine medication.
Putting It All Together
Breathing through your nose, improving your sleep position, and incorporating more daily movement are three simple but powerful ways to start reducing the frequency and severity of headaches or migraines.
These steps won’t solve every headache problem, but they form a strong foundation for long-term relief. And if your pain continues despite making these changes, it doesn’t mean you’re out of options—it just means it’s time to look deeper.
At Novera: Headache Center, we specialize in helping people get to the root cause of their headaches and migraines. If you’re ready to find real answers, book a free discovery visit (virtual or in-person) at www.noveraheadachecenter.com.
