I have a new client who mentioned that she gets a headache whenever she works out really hard. I have heard of exercise induced headaches but never experienced one and never had a client who got them. Exercise headaches are difficult because you don’t want to get one but you don’t want to stop doing the activity you love either!
Exercise headaches are headaches that occur after strenuous exercise. Some common exercises that can lead to headaches include: running, jogging, swimming, weight lifting, tennis, soccer and boxing. Some people get them often, however, most people will get them rarely, if ever. According to the International Headache Society, exertional headache will happen at least once for one out of every 100 people. The odds are good that you won’t experience this type of headache but many people will and some of them will get them regularly.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting an exercise headache. Researchers don’t know exactly what causes these headaches so there are varying recommendations on ways to avoid them. Some researchers believe the headaches are caused by a rapid drop in blood sugar. Others believe it is due to dilating blood vessels. Still others attribute it to the body overheating and/or dehydration. So here are some steps to prevent exercise headaches: - Stay hydrated. Drink 8 ounces of water during the hour before you workout, during your workout and during the hour after you workout to ensure adequate hydration. Sports drinks can be good but water is the best at keeping you hydrated.
- Don’t let your blood sugar get too low. Eat a small snack of carbohydrates and protein about an hour before your workout. An apple and some nuts works perfectly. Also, don’t wait hours after working out to eat. You should have a snack or a meal 1 to 2 hours after your exercise.
- Don’t overdo it. Keep your workout at a moderate pace. Challenge yourself but don’t work out so hard that you can hardly breathe or you feel dizzy or faint.
- Don’t forget the cool down. Make sure you cool down after your workout. Take a few minutes to bring your heart rate down slowly, take some deep cleansing breaths and stretch a little bit.
- Try a little caffeine. Many headache medicines contain caffeine because it helps the blood vessels in the brain constrict. Drinking a little caffeine before your workout may help you avoid a headache. However, caffeine is a diuretic so increase your water intake if you are going to try this remedy.
- Take it easy! Try adding some low impact exercise to your routine. Yoga, Pilates or ballet barre class might not cause a headache because there is very little jumping or bouncing.
If you start experiencing new headaches, see your doctor. There are other problems that can cause headaches after exercise such as high or low blood pressure and diabetes. See your doctor for a full checkup if your headaches get worse or become more frequent.
Don’t give up. Exercise is important and can actually be helpful in fending off tension and migraine headaches. Work with your doctor and trainer to help avoid exercise headaches.
- Jennifer
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I don't get these but a great subject as I am sure some people have no idea of these! THX!