Picture this: It’s an exquisite 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 may have a nagging headache that you simply 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 do you have to skip it?

“Complications don’t have any one-size-fits-all method,” 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 laborious to offer particular recommendation. What works for one individual is not going to at all times work for an additional.”

Nonetheless, you should use clues concerning the underlying causes of your headache and your personal private data of how effectively your physique responds to sure stimuli like train to find out in the event you can transfer ahead together with your exercise. In some instances, it’s finest to skip it, however getting transferring can truly assist your headache in different conditions.

“Having a headache doesn’t essentially imply it’s worthwhile to skip your exercise,” Dr. Pontinen says. “For sure conditions, equivalent to when somebody is affected by a pressure headache and even sure migraines, deciding to rise up and transfer round will be useful.”

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Basically, staying energetic also can assist you stop complications within the first place—train helps your physique regulate lots of its core methods, Dr. Pontinen provides.

The various kinds of complications—and which of them you’ll be able to work out with

It’s not at all times simple to determine the kind of headache or its trigger, however sure signs might clue you in on whether or not or not it’s best to work out.

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

If you happen to expertise complications chronically, you would possibly discover it useful to trace sure elements—say, dehydration, starvation, or fatigue —to determine which of them set off your complications.

Right here’s what to know concerning the various kinds of complications and whether or not it’s best to do your scheduled exercise, reduce, or skip it altogether. When unsure, at all times converse to your physician for perception in your distinctive state of affairs.

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

1. Stress headache

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

Train can truly 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.

Stress complications are attributable to your neck and scalp muscular tissues tensing up or contracting, per the Nationwide Library of Medication. A typical offender is working at your pc or staying in another stationary place for too lengthy.

“You would possibly 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 persistently also can stop tension-type complications.”

2. Migraine

This can be a tough one: Migraines typically include signs like nausea, sensitivity to gentle, and sound—however they’re not effectively understood and range when it comes to how they current in numerous individuals.

“Some that suffer from persistent migraines would by no means contemplate understanding throughout an episode, whereas others would possibly discover that understanding helps alleviate among the ache,” Dr. Pontinen says. ”I believe in the event you’re having a migraine and nothing’s serving to, attempting a gentle exercise may be price a shot.”

On this case, beginning slowly and dealing as much as a suitable depth is essential.

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

Mild cardio train like yoga may additionally stop 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.

Comparable outcomes had been seen in a 2015 research revealed in Superior Biomedical Analysis, through which feminine sufferers with migraines had been randomly divided into a medicine group and a yoga plus treatment group. Those that acquired 12 weeks of yoga coaching alone had a big discount within the impression of headache on their lives, headache severity, and headache frequency, whereas the modifications within the medication-only group weren’t important.

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

Nonetheless, pay shut consideration to your signs. Some individuals might discover that exercise worsens the migraine and one of the best treatment is mendacity down in a darkish room. Go gradual and see in case your migraine responds as you’re employed by means of your train.

3. Dehydration headache

This may occasionally present up as both a migraine or tension-type headache. Dehydration complications often 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 frightening migraine and worsening migraine signs,” Dr. Mays says. “You possibly can typically do a exercise, but it surely’s essential to hydrate earlier than, throughout, and after train.”

In different phrases, in the event you suspect an absence of fluids is inflicting your ache, don’t dive proper right into a exercise and hope for one of the best. Up your fluids first and take it simple once you do begin understanding.

“For a dehydration headache, I might keep away from any exercise till you’ve rehydrated and given your physique time to get better,” Dr. Pontinen says. “Dehydration will be dangerously taxing on the physique, so I’d solely do very gentle 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 as a consequence of lack of sleep or bodily exhaustion,” Dr. Mays says. “You might be notably at-risk throughout instances of stress.”

Undiagnosed sleep apnea or persistent insomnia might contribute to this kind of headache, so addressing sleep hygiene will be an essential first step. If you happen to’re having bother sleeping at evening, exercising through the day might assist you sleep higher by decreasing stress and enhancing temper.

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

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

5. Low blood sugar headache

You probably have a headache that you simply suspect is attributable to low blood sugar, it might be finest to skip your exercise. You may need a low blood sugar headache in the event you additionally really feel dizzy, shaky, anxious, sweaty, or have issue concentrating.

“If you happen to’re somebody who struggles with blood sugar and blood sugar complications, you have to be further cautious, as a result of understanding with low blood sugar will 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.”

Basically, be sure to eat a small snack containing easy carbs (say, a banana with honey or apple slices with almond butter) earlier than understanding to stop a lot of these complications. And naturally, at all times attempt to match balanced meals into your food regimen.

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

Suggestions for exercising with a headache

If you happen to suspect it’s okay to maneuver ahead together with your exercise based mostly on the kind of headache you may have, listed here are essential tricks to comply with as you train.

1. Go gradual

It might be troublesome to inform if exercising will assist or exacerbate your headache till you’re truly understanding, so ease into it and take heed 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.

In fact, cease exercising in case your headache worsens or you may have different signs like a faint feeling or a coronary heart charge that doesn’t get better once you decelerate.

“When unsure, maintain it restricted to gentle 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’re feeling.”

2. Keep hydrated

It’s not nearly ingesting H20 earlier than your exercise to stop 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 ingesting an excessive amount of water too shortly to keep away from an upset abdomen,” Dr. Mays says. “If you happen to’re overheated, discover a cool place to relaxation or put a chilly compress in your head or wrist.”

If you happen to suppose you may 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.

Nonetheless, chances are you’ll discover sports activities drinks useful in the event you’re exercising for greater than an hour, performing intense bodily exercise, exercising open air on a scorching and humid day, sweating lots, or nonetheless experiencing signs of dehydration regardless of replenishing with water.

Many sports activities drinks include electrolytes, which you are likely to lose once you sweat lots or are dehydrated. These are electronically charged minerals that play an essential position in lots of your physique’s processes, together with your coronary heart and muscle operate, per the Cleveland Clinic. You may as well get them naturally from meals like fruits, leafy greens, dairy merchandise, nuts and seeds, beans, or pickle juice.

“If you happen to’re experiencing a headache as a consequence of dehydration, your first step must be to hydrate with electrolytes and wait some time earlier than doing any form of train,” Dr. Pontinen says. “Whenever you’re dehydrated, you’ll be able to’t simply drink one thing and get going. The physique will want time to make amends for the shortage of hydration, as a result of it takes time to soak up water and hydrate tissues.”

If you happen to’re an older grownup, it’s worthwhile to be particularly cautious since you’re at larger danger for dehydration and will not obtain as many clues out of your physique that you simply’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 light workouts

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

“Overhead presses generally set off complications, as these particular person neck muscular tissues are sometimes weak,” Dr. Mays says. “If this occurs, concentrate on 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 gives the advantages of endorphin launch, pressure launch, and elevated circulation (with out as a lot danger of over-exertion as extra intense bodily workouts like resistance coaching), Dr. Pontinen provides. That boosted circulation and endorphins launch can straight assist relieve pressure complications and a few migraines.

“You probably have a headache and wish to strive understanding, begin with some gentle cardio and see how you’re feeling,” Dr. Pontinen says. “If you happen to really feel higher, strive some gentle resistance coaching and see how issues go. If you happen to really feel good, contemplate a standard exercise, however keep away from pushing your self too laborious.”

If you happen to discover that train at all times triggers a headache, discuss to a doctor to discover potential underlying causes. Your physician might 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 might determine muscular tissues you did not know had been weak and prescribe particular workouts to deal with weak muscular tissues,” Dr. Mays says, who recommends incorporating strategies like deep respiratory or light 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 also can assist.

The underside line

It might be secure and even useful to exercise when you may have a headache, notably if it’s a tension-type headache or a migraine (in sure instances). You probably have a dehydration or low blood sugar headache, maintain off on the exercise till you’ve had the prospect to deal with the underlying concern. And if you end up vulnerable to fatigue complications, see if gentle, common train helps to enhance the problem over time.

Complications will be tough to decipher and are distinctive based mostly on the person, so it’s essential to take it gradual and take heed to your physique in each case. If one thing doesn’t really feel proper or your headache will get worse with exercise, cease instantly and discuss to your physician.