In a recent blog post, I wrote about the benefit of different types of exercises for the relief of migraines and other types of headaches. It mentioned that strength training may be more beneficial than aerobic (cardio) exercise. A study just published in Nature Communications suggests that the time of day when you exercise also matters. Not specifically for headaches but for “all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality”.

This was a very rigorous study of 92,139 UK participants over an average of 7 years of follow-up which added up to 638,825 person-years. The timing of exercise was recorded by an activity tracker (accelerometer). Moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity at any time of day was associated with lower risks for all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality. However, the morning group (5:00 – 11:00), midday-afternoon (11:00 – 17:00), and mixed timing groups, but not the evening group (17:00-24:00), had lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.

This study suggests that exercising before 5 PM has more health benefits than exercising after 5. It is likely that this may also apply to the relief of migraines and other headaches.

Daily multivitamin use was compared to cocoa extract in more than 2,200 people over 65. After three years, taking a cocoa extract had no benefit while taking a multivitamin led to a significantly slower age-related cognitive decline. This included measures of global cognition, memory, and executive function.

Many physicians discourage their patients from taking a multivitamin. They should stop. There is little downside to taking a multivitamin. It is very inexpensive and safe. Many people also feel that if they eat a well-balanced healthy diet they should not need to take vitamins. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Even foods that are considered healthy are often processed, stored for a long time, or grown in depleted soil. Another problem is that as we age our body loses its ability to absorb vitamins and minerals (as well as protein, which is a different topic).

Taking a multivitamin should be a standard recommendation for those over 65. Many younger individuals need supplements as well. Ironically, a healthy diet (especially vegan or vegetarian) is often deficient in vitamin B12. Many young people whom I see for migraine headaches are deficient in vitamin D and magnesium. The role of vitamin D is also often underappreciated by primary care doctors. Multiple studies have shown that your vitamin D level should be not only within the normal range but in the upper half of the normal range for your brain to function normally. Most people who died of COVID had low vitamin D levels. And I’ve written many times about the importance of magnesium – just search this blog.

Ideally, to approach this problem scientifically, you should have your vitamin and mineral levels checked. This will allow you to take only those vitamins that you are deficient in. the difficulty is that there are too many vitamins to check and the insurance companies often refuse to pay for these tests. Taking at least a multivitamin is a reasonable alternative.

Multiple posts on this blog have described clinical trials that prove the benefit of exercise for the prevention of migraine headaches.

In a recent paper published in The Journal of Headache and Pain Stanford researchers compared the efficacy of aerobic and strength training exercises. They conducted a meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials that involved a total of 1,195 migraine patients.

Simplifying the statistics, compared to no exercise, strength training was 3.55 times more effective, high-intensity aerobic exercise was 3.13 times more effective, and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise was 2.18 times more effective.

For general health and for the prevention of migraines, 2-3 weekly sessions of strength training and 2-3 sessions of aerobic exercise would be an ideal regimen. As I mentioned in a recent post, an additional benefit of exercise is a larger brain volume. The only other intervention that has been shown to expand the brain and prevent its shrinkage with age is meditation.

Exercise and meditation are the first two recommendations on my list of top 10 treatments described in my latest book, The End of Migraines: 150 Ways to Stop Your Pain.