A new study found that individuals who frequently get stressed out are those who frequently have headaches.

German researchers led by Sara Schramm, M.D., of the University Hospital of University Duisburg-Essen, interviewed more than 5,000 individuals, between the ages 21 and 71, about their levels of stress and headaches. They did it four times a year for a couple of yours.

In each interview, they were asked to rate the level of their stress on a scale of zero to 100, and how frequent they experienced headache for a month. To be certain that stress was the sole reason for the headache, they ruled out other contributing factors like alcohol consumption and frequent use of medications to treat headaches.

After the study, Schramm's team found that 31 percent of all the participants had tension-type headaches, 14 percent had migraines (severe headache with sensitivity to light, smell, or sound), and 11 percent had the combination of the two.

Those who suffered from tension-type headaches rated their stress level at an average of 52, those who had migraine rated theirs at an average of 62, and those who had both types of headache rated theirs at an average of 59.

Upon further analysis, the researchers discovered that a 10-point increase on the stress level brings a 6.3 percent increase in the frequency of headaches for those with tension headaches, a 4.3 percent increase for those with migraine, and a four percent for those who have both.

"Chronic intractable headache represents a major public health issue that is associated with impaired quality of life, as well as a significant economic and social burden," said Souhel Najjar, M.D., director of the Neuroscience Center at Staten Island University Hospital, in New York City, to HealthDay.

"This finding is important and suggests that identifying sources of chronic stress, and utilizing strategies directed toward elimination or modification of stress, including meditation, deep breathing exercises and muscle relaxation techniques, can be very effective in reducing the frequency of all types of headaches, particularly tension headaches," Najjar added.

This study will be presented on at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.