More than 4 in 5
people with migraine have continued working through symptoms at least ‘sometimes’.2
Migraine Awareness Week 2026
Migraine is more than headache.
It can cause tiredness and difficulty concentrating, with people reporting wide‑reaching impacts on work, social life, mental health and confidence.1
This Migraine Awareness Week (21 – 27 September), we’re exploring what migraine can look like in the workplace, what often goes unseen, and how better conversations can help people feel more understood and supported.
48%
have worried about letting colleagues or their employer down.2
41%
said not wanting to be seen as unreliable made it difficult to talk about migraine at work.2
Migraine at work
At work, the impact of migraine may be visible, such as absence or missed shifts, but it can also be hidden. Some people may manage symptoms in silence, worry about being taken seriously, or feel pressure to keep going when unwell.3
This can make conversations about support difficult. Migraine is different for everyone, so support should start with listening, not assumptions.4
In NHS workplaces, this can be particularly hard to navigate. People may spend their days caring for others while managing their own health, often alongside demanding working environments, shift patterns and limited opportunities to step away and take breaks when symptoms appear.5,6
Employee focus:
Talking about migraine at work can feel difficult, especially if you are worried about not being believed or not knowing what support to ask for.
Before starting a conversation, it may help to think about:
- What does migraine look like for me? How migraine affects your energy and focus or ability to manage the day
- What makes things harder? Triggers, environments, shift patterns or specific situations that worsen symptoms
- What support could help? Practical changes or adjustments that could make work more manageable
- Who could support the conversation? A manager, HR, occupational health, wellbeing contact or another trusted person
Employer focus:
Migraine can be invisible, unpredictable and different for everyone.
A supportive conversation can help someone feel understood and better able to manage at work.
- Start with an open question: Ask how migraine impacts them at work.
- Listen without assumptions: Migraine is not “just a headache”.
- Explore practical support: Discuss what could help, such as flexibility, changes to lighting, breaks, quiet spaces, or agreed plans for flare-ups
- Keep the conversation going: Needs may change over time, so check-in regularly and adapt support where needed.
Start the migraine conversation
Our practical leaflet has been developed to support both ends of the conversation surrounding migraine at work.
Coming soon: The reality of migraine at work
Mind If I Join You? explores mental health, lived experience and support, for anyone affected personally, professionally or supporting a loved one.
Later this year, the series returns for a special episode on living and working with migraine, featuring the lived experience of an NHS paediatric nurse.
Practical support for migraine at work
Explore helpful tools and resources for living and working with migraine, including signposts to useful tools, checklists and factsheets.
References
- The Migraine Trust. Migraine Hurts: The Real Impact of Migraine in the UK. Available at: https://migrainetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Migraine-hurts-report-2024.pdf [Last accessed September 2026]
- Lundbeck. Migraine Awareness Week Survey 2026. Data on file. REF-17863
- The Migraine Trust. Challenging stigma: the urgent need to improve workplace support for people with migraine (2025) Available at: https://migrainetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Challenging-stigma-Workplace-briefing-2025.pdf [Last accessed September 2026]
- NHS Conditions: Migraine. 2026. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/ [Last accessed September 2026]
- NHS Staff Survey Coordination Centre (2026). 2025 NHS Staff Survey: National Results Briefing. Available at: https://www.nhsstaffsurveys.com/static/98fbf017ea18aad1523254e02072cd02/National-Results-Briefing-2025.pdf? [Last accessed September 2026]
- NHS Employers. The health, safety and wellbeing of shift workers in healthcare environments. Available at: https://www.nhsemployers.org/publications/health-safety-and-wellbeing-shift-workers-healthcare-environments? [Last accessed September 2026]
Migraine advice
If you are suffering from migraines, you’re not alone. To find out more about migraines, and what you, can do to help break the cycle visit our section dedicated to people like you.