You work out and exercise to stay healthy and fit, but what if it makes your head hurt? Some factors, like increased blood flow after working out, can become the reason for headache. Get to know these causes of the post-workout headache in this blog.
Possible Reasons You Have a Headache After Working Out
A headache after excersing can take the fun and satisfaction out of the entire experience. But you can identify the reason for your headache and get rid of it. Some reasons this happens are:
1. Exertional Headache
Experiencing throbbing pain on both sides of your head that lasts between a few minutes to two days might be an exertional headache. Although the reason it occurs is unknown, many experts think that the narrowing of blood vessels might be responsible.
Exertional headache caused by working out is also called primary exercise headache. Moreover, physical activities like coughing fits and working out severely, in warm weather, or at high altitudes might trigger it.
Also, an underlying condition might cause a secondary exertional headache.
2. Dehydration
An insufficient amount of fluid in your body can also lead to a headache. Sweating while exercising means you’re losing fluid in your body. If you don’t take enough fluids or drink the necessary water, you’ll lose more fluid than you take. Consequently, you might suffer from dehydration, which can be why your head hurts when exercising or working out.
3. Too Much Exposure to Sunlight
Lengthy periods exposing yourself to direct sunlight can cause a headache, whether working out or not. Plus, exercising in the sun can also be the culprit behind the pain in your head.
4. Poor Form
Working out while having a poor form can lead to muscle tension, which can hurt your head. This tension headache is most likely to occur when you use your neck and shoulder muscles. This involves weightlifting, crunches, running, and push-ups, which can strain your neck.
5. Low Blood Sugar
Glucose is one of the key sources of energy for your body. When we exercise, glucose burns off. Decreased glucose levels can cause low blood sugar, which might bring a headache. Other than this, you might also experience:
- Extreme hunger
- Shakiness
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Blurry vision
- Trouble concentrating
- Mood changes
- Disorientation
Tips for Preventing Headache After Working Out
Having your head hurt after working out is not exactly an ideal situation. This is why we’ll give you few tips to stop the headache after a workout in its tracks:
- Don’t workout when it’s too hot or too cold
- If you’re not habitual of working out in altitudes, it’s better to avoid it.
- Rest up and get your eight hours of sleep.
- Prevent sun exposure by putting on your sunglasses.
- It is better to refrain from eating processed foods or foods that have preservatives.
- Eat healthily and drink enough water.
- Gradually build intensity while exercising.
- Give different exercises a try to check if they all give you a headache.
- Do warm-ups before working out.
- Once your workout session is over, do cooldowns.
What’s Next?
Headache after working out is not something anyone looks forward to, so you should see our Sleep & Headache Solutions experts. They’ll help you out with any sleep troubles or headache issues you have; dial 832-688-8886 to schedule an appointment.