I know there are many times when you are lifting weights, taking a class, or doing your own cardiovascular exercise like running, where you suddenly have this bad headache. So in this article I am going to talk about why we can get headaches during exercise and what steps we can take to avoid them.
What happens during a headache?
Nociceptors (pain-sensitive nerve ends) are stimulated by stress, muscle tension, dilated blood vessels, and other headache triggers, and send a message to nerve cells in the brain that a part of the body it hurt.
Headaches generally target six main areas. These areas are the muscles of the face and head, the blood vessels at the base of the brain, and the nerves of the scalp, throat, face, and mouth. Each affected area has a large number of pain receptors in its immediate vicinity.
Different chemicals help transmit pain-related information to the brain, including endorphins, natural pain relieving proteins. People with severe headaches or other chronic pain have been suggested to have lower levels of endorphins than people who generally do not feel pain.
Here is a list of factors that can cause a headache:
o Dehydration
o Imbalance of electrolytes or other minerals (ex: potassium and sodium)
o Intake of overly salty foods and diuretic-type drinks such as coffee
o Lack of sleep
o Chronic stress
o Lack of blood flow or muscle spasms
Let’s take a look at some steps we can take to avoid exercise-induced headaches:
1.) Drink more water.
– If you think you are drinking enough water … try drinking more! Because it is most likely not enough. Don’t drink only during exercise, drink before and after to prepare your body for rigorous work.
2.) Reduce your intake of natural diuretics
– Drink no more than 1-2 cups of coffee per day
– Eat less salty foods and processed meat
– Don’t add salt! Train your taste buds to enjoy food and not salt!
3.) Supplement with electrolytes, vitamins and minerals.
– With today’s modern diet, your body is likely out of balance or deficient in certain nutrients. Carry a multivitamin and multimineral as your insurance policy. The capsule form is the best because your body absorbs them more easily.
4.) Naturally increases endorphins in the body
– Before starting the intense exercise, warm up very well and listen to motivating music.
– Focus on your breathing and meditate first for a few minutes. De-stress before you stress!
– Try to sleep more !! At least 7-8 hours per night.
5.) Stretch and increase flexibility
– Stretch at the end of each workout. This will improve flexibility, which will improve blood flow and recovery, which can lead to vascular dilation in the head.
– Try Yoga … Great for flexibility, breathing, and meditation.
Hopefully this knowledge helps alleviate those painful headaches. If the headaches continue after taking all necessary measures, I advise you to seek a professional and ask your doctor to investigate this further.
