Although sport is intended to improve physical and mental health by increasing endorphins, it does sometimes happen that you exercise and end up with a strong head mail.
they are not all the same, but they differ in intensity, type and affected brain area. At the same time, even the triggering reasons can be a thousand and not always directly connected to sporting activity.
In some cases, it could be stress that does this. To eliminate it, stretching the neck is very useful.
This headache can also occur at night and be a sign of other ailments.
Dehydration
The most common cause of post-workout headaches is dehydration, which occurs mostly in hot weather and a lot of sweating.
Performing intense physical exercise increases blood flow in the vessels, which is essential for supplying the organs and muscles subjected to the effort. Dehydration decreases the volume inside the vessels and the flow of blood becomes more difficult, especially towards the head, hampered by gravity. It is this chain of actions that triggers the pain.
To avoid it, therefore, it is essential to drink before, during and after training.
Unbalanced diet
Food plays a decisive role.
Blood sugar is a major source of energy for the brain, and if the body is not adequately fueled before exercising, low blood sugar levels, or even hypoglycemia, can occur in people with diabetes. One of the consequences of this condition is headaches.
It is therefore important to consume complex carbohydrates at least a couple of hours before exercising.
Also, if you are following a low-calorie diet, it is better not to overdo it with physical activity, in order to prevent the body from running out of energy and causing headaches to appear as a defense mechanism.
If you want to keep your weight under control, here's how many calories you burn while walking.
Excessive effort
Vasomotor exertion headache can arise after intense training.
The cause of this headache, which affects about 30% of the population and mostly women, is not yet known. The most probable thesis, however, is that it is the dilation of the blood vessels inside the skull that triggers the throbbing pain on both sides of the head. This occurs after particularly long and intense exercises.
Sometimes, on the other hand, sports headaches derive from a muscle stiffness in the neck, which can be prevented by releasing tensions with a targeted warm-up.
Prolonged exposure to sunlight
Spending too much time in the sun can promote headaches even if you don't do sports and, even more so, when you are subjected to exertion. The reason is mainly that heat can lead to dehydration and, consequently, pain more quickly.
Several studies have also revealed that for people who already suffer from migraines, exposing themselves to bright light for an extended time could make it worse.
Be careful, therefore, to go for a run in the open air during the hottest hours, especially in summer.
, which normally rises to standard levels by sweating. To do this faster, you can put ice on the back of your head and neck for about 20 minutes.
Even over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, if taken sparingly and if strictly necessary, can provide temporary pain relief.
Finally, you can try to alleviate the pain by moving your head first from side to side, then up and down, massaging the base of the skull or stretching the head, neck and trapezius as much as possible.
, if you train outdoors, bring sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat or bandana.If you feel a drop in your strength, and therefore in your blood sugar, drink something sugary like a fruit juice or eat a food containing carbohydrates like a biscuit or a piece of bread.
Learning relaxing breathing techniques close to yoga such as pranayama can also help.
When to see a doctor
In case of headache that is not excessive, the measures listed above may be enough to stem it but if the pain becomes intense it is better to contact your doctor.
Especially if the symptoms are new or occur alongside double or blurred vision, shortness of breath, nausea, or vomiting.
