Sedentary Lifestyle may be Linked to Headaches

New research suggests that a sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of having frequent headaches.

The results are based on two large surveys in adults (age 20 or older) who were living in Norway. The first group of 22,397 adults was surveyed between 1984 and 1986 about their exercise habits and other health factors. Eleven years later, the participants completed a follow-up questionnaire about their headache symptoms. The second group of 46,648 adults was surveyed between 1995 and 1997 about their levels of physical activity and headache symptoms.

The authors found that people who did not exercise were 14 percent more likely to develop non-migraine headaches than those who did exercise. In addition, people who experienced any type of frequent headache at the beginning of the study were more likely to be inactive than those who did not have headaches.

The authors concluded that inactivity may increase the risk of frequent headaches and that exercise may be challenging for those already experiencing headaches. However, these results are preliminary, and more evidence is needed to fully understand the relationship between exercise and headaches.

Earlier studies suggest that yoga, an ancient system of exercise, relaxation and healing, may help reduce the intensity and frequency of tension or migraine headaches and lessen the need for pain-relievers. Although this research is promising, studies with larger samples sizes are needed to determine if yoga is an effective treatment for headaches.

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Comments

[Paul Bernstein]

The book, "No More Headaches, No More Migraines," by Dr. Zuzana Bic, asserted a connection between inactivity and headache. A NY Times article (12/12/2008) explained that a sedentary life style can contribute to stress and obesity, both risk factors for tension-type headache. It also warned that extreme physical activity could provoke headaches. Other risk factors: fatigue, overwork, eyestrain.

[Josh V.]

I think part of the reason that those who are sedentary have a greater chance of developing headaches is that those who are not able to exercise as much probably do not lead a balanced lifestyle. If you make the time to fit in exercise, then I think you will make more of an effort to balance other areas such as diet and how you manage stress, all of which contribute to the frequency of headaches.

[Maggie]

I think it would be a good idea for those with headaches and who have difficulty exercising to start slow. Maybe committing to some yoga or other light form of exercise in the beginning and then progressing to more intense exercise would be beneficial. I definitely think exercise and a healthy diet will make a difference on headache symptoms. Trying this route is better than automatically taking pain relievers every time.

[JK]

On a related note, several studies report improvements in the severity and frequency of tension headaches after several weekly hypnosis sessions. Early research suggests that hypnosis may be as effective as other relaxation techniques, biofeedback or autogenic training.

[Dave]

I wish the study had explored whether introducing exercise had any effect on the development of headaches. It would be interesting to see if any changes would take place if the sedentary subjects started to exercise, and if so, then how much time it took for any significant effect to occur.

[Sarah]

I've definitely noticed an increase in headaches since I stopped working out as often as I used to. It's just so hard to get myself moving when it's 20 degrees outside! But it's nice to have another motivating factor to help me get off the couch.

[h ariel]

By establishing a possible correlation between sedentary lifestyle and headaches, the investigators give credence to the importance of lifestyle modifications such as exercise and overall sense of well-being. There are many health benefits to be gained from an exercise routine.

[donald k]

Sedentary people usually sit round and eat, no? Think of the people you know who sit around a lot and eat. Generally, they aren’t eating the best stuff. Sugar, even in non-diabetics, can sensitize the perception of pain, particularly in people who consume fish oils and other healthy fats for some reason. How about a study on sedentary people also being less happy. We know it, why study it?

[pat]

Exercise, such as brisk walking, has so many benefits that it's no surprise to see that sedentary people may also suffer more from headaches, in addition to the many other conditions they put themselves at risk for. Studies have also shown that even low-intensity exercise like walking can have the same benefit as anti-depressive medication. If you have headaches and were inactive, at least you'd probably have a more positive outlook if you got moving. The real problem isn't convincing people that exercise is good for them, it's getting them to start and stick with it.

[Peter]

I completely agree with other posters; there are obviously confounding factors in this study. Josh is right on with respect to stress being a prime factor in headaches. For headaches that are caused by stress, I can certainly see exercise reducing the occurrence of such headaches.

[Metu]

JK, interesting suggestion about hypnosis. However, for how many weeks can one commit to expensive hypnosis sessions? Exercise, on the other hand, is free, and unlike hypnosis, it has many proven benefits.

[Erika]

On the flip side, exercise can actually cause headaches, in what has been termed "exercise headache." It occurs during or after sustained, strenuous exercise. The activities most commonly associated with these types of headaches are running, rowing, tennis, swimming and weightlifting. It is thought that it is caused by strenuous exercise dilating blood vessels inside the skull.

[Joel]

Speaking from personal experience, I tend to get more headaches when I work out. My headaches tend to begin a few hours after I have a really tough workout. Sometimes they are so intense that I either have to take ibuprofen or go to sleep. So I don't think this study stands true for all patients.

[Beth]

I get headaches if I do anything in excess, including exercising. I also get them if I eat too much or too little sugar or if I don't get enough sleep.

[RZD]

What is it about frequently exercising that decreased the likeliness of headaches? Is it related to the body's circulation or increased metabolism? Or does it increase the elimination of harmful byproducts (through perspiration or excretion) that the body naturally produces?

[P.V.]

I feel that exercise helps release a lot of stress. By releasing the stress, it seems to loosen your muscles and get rid of the tension that could be leading to stress. I know that I get a lot of tension headaches, and I do feel that my muscles have released that stress if I exercise.

[Luce]

Speaking from personal experience, I get headaches when I’m stressed or too tired. When I perform aerobic exercise (may be 15 minutes), I usually get some relief, although it's not effective all of the time.

[Jane]

Some people experience exercise-induced headaches mainly due to blood vessel dilation during exercise or perhaps from the drop in glucose. I have not heard much about exercise being helpful in relieving headaches. However, Exercise releases endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, which can help lessen the frequency and/or severity of migraines. In addition, it also increases blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain. So, It may actually be beneficial. The literature states that almost all forms of exercising are good, from aerobics to yoga to stretching to swimming.

[Tanya]

I'm not surprised that strenuous exercise can bring about headaches, but I think the study is showing the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle for overall wellbeing. Light exercise done regularly can even bring about significant improvements in how we feel.

[busybee]

In an article by John PJ, Sharma N, Sharma CM, Kankane A., “Effectiveness of yoga therapy in the treatment of migraine without aura: a randomized controlled trial” (PMID: 17501846), it is mentioned that, “[a] study demonstrated a significant reduction in migraine headache frequency and associated clinical features, in patients treated with yoga over a period of 3 months.” This study was conducted in India, and it was not clearly defined in the abstract which kind of yoga was practiced, for how long the sessions lasted (30 minutes? an hour?), how many times a week, or if visualization/meditation was involved? It would be interesting to see if certain types of yoga affect outcomes in different ways.

[VLN]

I always get tension headaches, and I don't exercise. I agree with this study that exercising could help with these headaches. I feel like I have knots that build up pressure and cause the headaches, so maybe some exercise will help reduce these events.

[Katie]

The results of this study don't surprise me; living a healthy and active lifestyle is definitely going to affect numerous aspects of health, including headaches. It's also a positive way to channel stress, which is a big trigger for headaches.

[Josh]

With a sedentary lifestyle, blood flow is also stagnant, thus leading to headache or referred pain.

[Dave M.]

Not much to say here, honestly just exercise, the benefits are limitless. You look better, feel better, increase your longevity, so on and so forth. We just need to be healthier.

[Kristy]

There is so much evidence that exercise helps a variety of other ailments, so why not headaches? I've never personally had headache relief after exercising, so it is probably more of a long-term type of effect -- just keeps your body running more efficiently.

[MHD]

This does not sound like anything surprising to me. It is a known fact that exercise increases blood circulation throughout the body, as well as the brain. Occlusions to the brain produced by blood clots, calcification or atherosclerosis produce headaches, or worse yet, migraines. Exercise has been known to release stress, and in school-aged children who exercised regularly, it increased grade marks. Science will always reaffirm the dogma of medicine: eat well and exercise.

[Sean Appleby]

This is most likely related to the increase blood flow and oxygen flow that is experienced during times of physical activity. Clearly, a person who is sedentary will begin to develop stagnant blood flow leading to lesser and lesser amounts of oxygen permeating all areas of the brain. This would surely cause headaches. Judging from personal experience, I find that days when I sleep too much, or spend the day in front of the TV and computer, to be the times when I would experience a headache. True, other factors come into play, but all it takes is going to Gung Fu class to relieve the headache. It just takes the willpower to get out and there and get moving in the first place, and the benefits and relief are sure to follow.

[Ken]

It would be interesting to find out the mechanism by which people who engage in physical activity avoid headaches. These types of people are overall healthier and avoid many diseases. Maybe exercise is a way of clearing the mind and helping people focus. Having less risk of disease and being more focused would probably lead to less worry and tension and therefore, fewer headaches.

[Energetic Healing]

This is quite surprising to know that a sedentary lifestyle may be linked to headaches. I found this posting as quite interesting.