A new study confirms the belief that excess stress can give you frequent and more intense headaches.
Ever wondered why whenever you find yourself in a crisis your head begins to hurt? The answer is most likely stress. All crisis situations bring with it excess stress and according to the findings of a new study, this can result in headaches that are more intense and frequent.
Researchers from the University Hospital of University Duisburg-Essen in Germany recommend learning some stress management techniques that can help keep those headaches at bay.
"These results show that this is a problem for everyone who suffers from headaches and emphasize the importance of stress management approaches for people with migraine and those who treat them," said study author, Dr. Sara H. Schramm, from the University Hospital of University Duisburg-Essen in Germany, according to CBS News. "The results add weight to the concept that stress can be a factor contributing to the onset of headache disorders, that it accelerates the progression to chronic headache, exacerbates headache episodes, and that the headache experience itself can serve as a stressor."
The Study
The study was conducted on 5,159 people aged between 21 and 71 years. All participants were interviewed four times a year for two years and were asked about their stress levels and the number of headaches they experienced. Almost 30 percent of the participants revealed that they experienced tension headaches, which typically lasted for a little over two days each month. Among such participants, every 10 points rise in stress levels increased duration of headaches by 6.3 percent, which works out to about 3.3 hours per month.
Another 14 percent said they suffered from migraine headaches, which lasted for 4.5 days a month. Among these participants, each 10-point increase in stress led to a 4.3 percent increase in migraine duration, which adds up to 4.6 extra hours of migraine misery per month, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Findings
Additionally 10.6 participants said they suffered from both migraines and tension headaches at the same time which typically last for 3.6 days per month. A 10-point increase in stress led to a 4.0 percent increase in headache durations, which equals to 3.5 hours per month.
Researchers said that the findings of this study are "important to support the tailoring of stress-management approaches in patients with different headache subtypes," Schramm told LiveScience. "[These] results add weight to the concept that stress can be a factor contributing to the onset of headache disorders, that it accelerates the progression to chronic headache, exacerbates headache episodes, and that the headache experience itself can serve as a stressor."
Mayo Clinic published a supporting article that stated stress is the most common element that triggers a headache. However, it is not the headache but the stress that needs to be treated. There are many ways of doing so. They include listening to music, deep breathing, yoga, meditation and sleeping well.
Music To Deal With Stress
A previous study conducted by McGill University's Psychology department stated that listening to music is better than medication for reducing stress levels. Though the study was conducted for stress levels before an operation, researchers claimed that the findings can be applied to other situations that up stress levels too. The same study also found that music reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been implicated in obesity.
Deep Breathing, Yoga and Meditation To Reduce Stress
All these three activities serve the same purpose - they increase cortisol levels in the body, which reduces stress, a previous study found. Another study also revealed that the silence that comes with meditation, the poses that come with yoga, and the calmness that pairs with deep breathing, when all these activities come together, they not only reduce cortisol levels but also encourage mindfulness.
Getting Adequate Amount Of Sleep Every Night
When your body is sleep deprived, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert, which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. A study conducted last year, found that getting adequate sleep each night can reduce stress levels in a big way.
More information regarding the new study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3.
