Working Out With a Headache: Will I Feel Better or Worse After?

Picture this: It’s a good looking Saturday morning and in your calendar is a exercise you’ve been itching to knock out. However come your 7 a.m. wakeup name, you could have a nagging headache that you just simply can’t kick.

It begs the query: Is it secure to push by means of your exercise as deliberate, even with a headache, or must you skip it?

“Complications don’t have any one-size-fits-all strategy,” says Thomas Pontinen, MD, doctor and co-founder of Midwest Anesthesia and Ache Specialists. “Medical doctors and researchers don’t totally perceive complications, which is why it’s exhausting to offer particular recommendation. What works for one individual won’t all the time work for an additional.”

Nevertheless, you should use clues in regards to the underlying causes of your headache and your individual private data of how nicely your physique responds to sure stimuli like train to find out should you can transfer ahead together with your exercise. In some instances, it’s finest to skip it, however getting shifting can really assist your headache in different conditions.

“Having a headache doesn’t essentially imply you should skip your exercise,” Dr. Pontinen says. “For sure conditions, resembling when somebody is affected by a pressure headache and even sure migraines, deciding to stand up and transfer round could be useful.”

Usually, staying energetic may also assist you to forestall complications within the first place—train helps your physique regulate a lot of its core programs, Dr. Pontinen provides.

The several types of complications—and which of them you possibly can work out with

It’s not all the time simple to establish the kind of headache or its trigger, however sure signs could clue you in on whether or not or not it is best to work out.

“Some variables like the kind, location, and period of ache may help decide what’s happening,” Dr. Pontinen says.

In case you expertise complications chronically, you may discover it useful to trace sure components—say, dehydration, starvation, or fatigue —to establish which of them set off your complications.

Right here’s what to know in regards to the several types of complications and whether or not it is best to do your scheduled exercise, cut back, or skip it altogether. When unsure, all the time communicate to your physician for perception in your distinctive scenario.

“For sure conditions, resembling when somebody is affected by a pressure headache and even sure migraines, deciding to stand up and transfer round could be useful.” —Thomas Pontinen, MD

1. Rigidity headache

These complications really feel like a uninteresting ache that spans throughout the brow and wraps across the head—suppose a band tightening round your head. Generally, they’ll additionally contain the neck.

Train can really assist soothe these complications, says MaryAnn Mays, MD, employees neurologist for the Headache and Facial Ache Middle within the Middle for Neurological Restoration on the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute.

Rigidity complications are attributable to your neck and scalp muscle groups tensing up or contracting, per the Nationwide Library of Drugs. A typical perpetrator is working at your laptop or staying in every other stationary place for too lengthy.

“You may wish to begin with some stretches of the neck and shoulder after which advance to yoga, Pilates, and a cardiovascular exercise,” Dr. Mays says. “Doing train constantly may also forestall tension-type complications.”

2. Migraine

It is a tough one: Migraines typically include signs like nausea, sensitivity to mild, and sound—however they’re not nicely understood and differ when it comes to how they current in numerous folks.

“Some that suffer from continual migraines would by no means take into account understanding throughout an episode, whereas others may discover that understanding helps alleviate a few of the ache,” Dr. Pontinen says. ”I believe should you’re having a migraine and nothing’s serving to, making an attempt a gentle exercise may be value a shot.”

On this case, beginning slowly and dealing as much as an appropriate depth is essential.

“I’ve heard a couple of sufferers state that if they begin sluggish and work their means up in depth, it might abort a migraine,” Dr. Mays says.

Mild cardio train like yoga can also forestall your migraine within the first place. A small 2014 research within the Worldwide Journal of Yoga discovered that migraine frequency was decreased much more in a bunch that practiced yoga and took typical medication, in comparison with a bunch that solely took the meds.

Related outcomes have been seen in a 2015 research printed in Superior Biomedical Analysis, wherein feminine sufferers with migraines have been randomly divided into a medicine group and a yoga plus treatment group. Those that acquired 12 weeks of yoga coaching alone had a major discount within the influence of headache on their lives, headache severity, and headache frequency, whereas the modifications within the medication-only group weren’t vital.

In the meantime, a 2019 research in The Journal of Headache and Ache discovered that cardio train can lower the variety of migraine days folks expertise.

Nevertheless, pay shut consideration to your signs. Some folks could discover that exercise worsens the migraine and the perfect treatment is mendacity down in a darkish room. Go sluggish and see in case your migraine responds as you’re employed by means of your train.

3. Dehydration headache

This will present up as both a migraine or tension-type headache. Dehydration complications normally include signs like dry mouth, excessive thirst, dizziness, elevated coronary heart charge, decreased blood strain, fatigue, muscle cramps, darkish urine, and fewer toilet journeys.

“Turning into dehydrated has been linked to scary migraine and worsening migraine signs,” Dr. Mays says. “You possibly can typically do a exercise, nevertheless it’s essential to hydrate earlier than, throughout, and after train.”

In different phrases, should you suspect a scarcity of fluids is inflicting your ache, don’t dive proper right into a exercise and hope for the perfect. Up your fluids first and take it simple if you do begin understanding.

“For a dehydration headache, I’d keep away from any exercise till you’ve rehydrated and given your physique time to get well,” Dr. Pontinen says. “Dehydration could be dangerously taxing on the physique, so I’d solely do very mild train within the 24 hours following headache-inducing dehydration.”

4. Fatigue headache

Like a dehydration headache, a fatigue headache can current as a migraine or tension-type headache.

“This may happen resulting from lack of sleep or bodily exhaustion,” Dr. Mays says. “You could be notably at-risk throughout occasions of stress.”

Undiagnosed sleep apnea or continual insomnia could contribute to this sort of headache, so addressing sleep hygiene could be an necessary first step. In case you’re having bother sleeping at night time, exercising through the day could assist you to sleep higher by lowering stress and enhancing temper.

In different phrases, chances are you’ll discover exercising repeatedly really helps in case you are susceptible to fatigue complications.

“Being bodily inactive could put you at better danger for each day complications and elevated frequency of migraine, so even a small quantity of exercise every day may help with these fatigue complications,” Dr. Mays says. “But it surely’s essential to hearken to your physique.”

5. Low blood sugar headache

In case you have a headache that you just suspect is attributable to low blood sugar, it might be finest to skip your exercise. You may need a low blood sugar headache should you additionally really feel dizzy, shaky, anxious, sweaty, or have issue concentrating.

“In case you’re somebody who struggles with blood sugar and blood sugar complications, you ought to be further cautious, as a result of understanding with low blood sugar could be harmful,” Dr. Pontinen says. “The mind could be very delicate to fluctuations in blood sugar, for the reason that mind and physique use glucose for vitality.”

Usually, be sure you eat a small snack containing easy carbs (say, a banana with honey or apple slices with almond butter) earlier than understanding to stop these kind of complications. And naturally, all the time attempt to match balanced meals into your weight-reduction plan.

“Usually talking, a wholesome human physique will inform you what it wants, so simply be aware and take note of how you are feeling.” —Thomas Pontinen, MD

Suggestions for exercising with a headache

In case you suspect it’s okay to maneuver ahead together with your exercise based mostly on the kind of headache you could have, listed here are necessary tricks to comply with as you train.

1. Go sluggish

It might be tough to inform if exercising will assist or exacerbate your headache till you’re really understanding, so ease into it and hearken to your physique.

“Begin your exercise at a slower tempo to see how your physique responds, and embody warmups and cooldowns,” Dr. Mays says. In different phrases, this isn’t the time to strive a brand new 60-minute path run or train at an altitude you’re not used to.

After all, cease exercising in case your headache worsens or you could have different signs like a faint feeling or a coronary heart charge that doesn’t get well if you decelerate.

“When unsure, maintain it restricted to mild cardio or one thing like yoga,” Dr. Pontinen says. “Usually talking, a wholesome human physique will inform you what it wants, so simply be aware and take note of how you are feeling.”

2. Keep hydrated

It’s not nearly consuming H20 earlier than your exercise to forestall a headache. You additionally want to remain hydrated all through and after your exercise.

“Take smaller sips all through your exercise and keep away from consuming an excessive amount of water too rapidly to keep away from an upset abdomen,” Dr. Mays says. “In case you’re overheated, discover a cool place to relaxation or put a chilly compress in your head or wrist.”

In case you suppose you could have a dehydration headache, drink 16 ounces of water about two hours earlier than intense train. Sports activities drinks aren’t vital for many non-athletes, provides Dr. Mays, as a result of water and meals can present the identical electrolytes and vitamins.

Nevertheless, chances are you’ll discover sports activities drinks useful should you’re exercising for greater than an hour, performing intense bodily exercise, exercising outside on a sizzling and humid day, sweating so much, or nonetheless experiencing signs of dehydration regardless of replenishing with water.

Many sports activities drinks include electrolytes, which you are inclined to lose if you sweat so much or are dehydrated. These are electronically charged minerals that play an necessary position in a lot of your physique’s processes, together with your coronary heart and muscle perform, per the Cleveland Clinic. You can even get them naturally from meals like fruits, leafy greens, dairy merchandise, nuts and seeds, beans, or pickle juice.

“In case you’re experiencing a headache resulting from dehydration, your first step needs to be to hydrate with electrolytes and wait some time earlier than doing any form of train,” Dr. Pontinen says. “Whenever you’re dehydrated, you possibly can’t simply drink one thing and get going. The physique will want time to atone for the shortage of hydration, as a result of it takes time to soak up water and hydrate tissues.”

In case you’re an older grownup, you should be particularly cautious since you’re at better danger for dehydration and should not obtain as many clues out of your physique that you just’re dehydrated. It doesn’t matter what your age, take precautions like avoiding train through the hottest a part of the day.

3. Go for mild workout routines

Sure sorts of exercises could set off or worsen a headache, whereas others can soothe it.

“Overhead presses generally set off complications, as these particular person neck muscle groups are sometimes weak,” Dr. Mays says. “If this occurs, give attention to core strengthening first. Yoga, Pilates, qigong, and tai chi could also be useful in managing complications in these with neck ache and decreased neck mobility.”

Mild cardio additionally affords the advantages of endorphin launch, pressure launch, and elevated circulation (with out as a lot danger of over-exertion as extra intense bodily workout routines like resistance coaching), Dr. Pontinen provides. That boosted circulation and endorphins launch can straight assist relieve pressure complications and a few migraines.

“In case you have a headache and wish to strive understanding, begin with some mild cardio and see how you are feeling,” Dr. Pontinen says. “In case you really feel higher, strive some mild resistance coaching and see how issues go. In case you really feel good, take into account a standard exercise, however keep away from pushing your self too exhausting.”

In case you discover that train all the time triggers a headache, speak to a doctor to discover potential underlying causes. Your physician could conduct checks like imaging of the mind or backbone to rule out structural causes. If no underlying situation is discovered, chances are you’ll be referred to a bodily therapist to be taught correct strategies for exercising.

“A bodily therapist could establish muscle groups you did not know have been weak and prescribe particular workout routines to deal with weak muscle groups,” Dr. Mays says, who recommends incorporating strategies like deep respiration or mild stretching to assist alleviate the beginning of a headache throughout or after a exercise. Massaging your neck or temples and utilizing a topical cooling spray or gel with menthol may also assist.

The underside line

It might be secure and even useful to exercise when you could have a headache, notably if it’s a tension-type headache or a migraine (in sure instances). In case you have a dehydration or low blood sugar headache, maintain off on the exercise till you’ve had the possibility to deal with the underlying situation. And if you end up susceptible to fatigue complications, see if mild, common train helps to enhance the difficulty over time.

Complications could be tough to decipher and are distinctive based mostly on the person, so it’s necessary to take it sluggish and hearken to your physique in each case. If one thing doesn’t really feel proper or your headache will get worse with exercise, cease straight away and speak to your physician.