How to Travel With Migraine: Have More Fun and Less Fear

When you live with migraine, the idea of taking a trip can feel like a gamble. Will you get a migraine attack on the plane? Will your meds work? What if you have to stay in the hotel while everyone else explores?

You're not alone in these fears—and they’re completely valid. As a yoga and health coach for women with migraine, I hear it all the time: “If I could just get my migraine under control, I would travel more.”

The good news? You don’t have to wait for your migraine to disappear to start living your life. With the right tools, preparation, and mindset, you can travel with migraine and have more fun and less fear.

Fear Makes Pain Worse—Pleasure Helps Us Heal

The most important thing to understand is this:
Fear and anxiety increase pain.
Relaxation, pleasure, and enjoyment decrease pain.

This isn’t just a mindset—it’s neurological. When you’re stressed or afraid of an impending migraine attack, your nervous system goes into high alert. That makes you more sensitive to triggers and intensifies pain signals.

On the flip side, when you’re enjoying yourself—laughing, dancing, relaxing by the ocean—your nervous system shifts into a more healing state. You become less sensitive to pain, and the pain that is there becomes less important.

A Real-Life Example

Years ago, I had a bad migraine attack at a teacher’s conference in Reno, Nevada. I was throwing up in a smoke-filled casino hotel room—classic migraine nightmare.

That night after taking a triptan so I was functional, I reluctantly went out with coworkers to a bar. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy myself, but I ended up dancing the night away with my colleagues. It was joyful, unforgettable, and one of the best nights of my life.

Did I still have pain? Yes.
But the joy and connection made the pain feel smaller.

Don't cut yourself off from pleasure just because of migraine. It might be the very thing that helps.

Step 1: Acknowledge Your Fears (and Make a Plan)

Grab a journal and write down your top fears about traveling with migraine.

• What are you afraid might happen?

• What has already happened in the past?

• What fears are based on real experience, and which ones are just looming in the background?
  

Now go through your list and ask:
Which of these fears are solvable with some preparation?

Common Fear: “I might run out of meds.”

Solution: Plan ahead. Refill your prescriptions a week before. Bring extra doses. Pack them in your carry-on. Include medication for every type of symptom—even rarer ones, like nausea.

Common Fear: “I’ll ruin the trip for others.”

Solution: Travel with people who get it. Plan a trip where you have autonomy and space to rest. Don’t commit to fast-paced itineraries or guided tours unless they offer flexibility.

Step 2: Plan for Rest (Strategically)

Here’s the truth:
You won’t be able to do everything. And that’s okay.

Instead of pushing through until you crash, schedule rest breaks into your trip on purpose. Decide ahead of time which activity each day matters most to you, and build your day around preserving your energy for it.

Examples:

• Skip the afternoon museum so you can enjoy the group dinner.

• Rest after lunch when your energy tends to dip.

• Make peace with the fact that you might miss a beach walk—and focus on what you can enjoy.

When you plan to miss something intentionally, it takes the guilt and anxiety out of it.

Step 3: Soothe Your Nervous System While Traveling

In Transit (Car, Airport, Plane):

• Slow down. Even if you have time, resist the urge to rush.

• Ground yourself. Name three things you see or appreciate in the space around you.

• Check in with yourself: How does your body feel? How’s your breath? Your emotions?

• Stretch. Neck rolls, shoulder rolls, or even seated cat-cow can help.

• Sigh it out. Inhale deeply and exhale through the mouth to trigger your body’s relaxation response.

Skip the phone at every pause. Instead, take a moment to be still.

Step 4: Decompress When You Arrive

At your hotel or Airbnb:

• Take 20–30 minutes to rest before diving into your plans.

• Close your eyes, lie down, and breathe deeply.

• Stretch out the tight spots from travel—hips, neck, back.

• Ask yourself: What do I need right now? (Water? Food? Quiet?)
  
  

Practice Presence and Gratitude:

Pleasure reduces pain. So, once you arrive:

• Name three things you enjoy about your new environment.

• Tune into what feels good, not just what hurts.

• Let gratitude guide your nervous system toward ease.
  

Step 5: Mindfulness Is Your Superpower

Every one of these tools—checking in with yourself, moving slowly, being present—is a mindfulness practice.

When we’re fully present, we’re not ruminating on past pain or fearing future attacks. We’re grounded in what’s true right now.You can have pain and pleasure at the same time.

Let the pleasure be louder.

Throughout your trip, keep asking:

• What can I appreciate right now?

• What am I enjoying?

• What am I grateful for?
  

These simple questions can transform the way your brain processes pain.

Final Thoughts: Travel is Still Possible—Even With Migraine

You can travel with migraine.
You can enjoy yourself.
You can have fun even if symptoms show up.

Prepare your body. Support your nervous system. Give yourself permission to rest. And above all—don’t miss out on life because of fear.

Migraine may still come along for the ride, but it doesn’t have to take the wheel.

Ready for More Migraine Support?

Want to travel with more confidence and less pain? I can help you build a toolkit of practices tailored to your body and your needs.

✨ Book an Insight Call with me to talk about how yoga and pain reprocessing can help you live with more freedom and joy—even with migraine.