Chronic migraine and headache sufferers know how hard it is to keep those aches and pains in check. Luckily, a new study has found that there’s an all-natural way to subdue these headaches.
All you need is a regular cardio routine.
Researchers in Sweden found that patients with migraines had fewer headaches after doing three 40-minute cycling workouts per week for three months.
The study found that exercise worked just as well as the leading migraine-prevention drug, topamirate, but without the depression, tremors, and cognitive impairment that are side effects of that drug.
A cardio routine can help with regular headaches as well as migraines.
No one is sure why, but there are a few theories on why it works.
One is that working out can relieve stress. Since headaches are often triggered by stress, exercise can remove the cause, thus removing the headache entirely.
It could also be the endorphins that are released when you work out. These chemicals can block pain sensors, which makes them a great natural pain killer.
However, headaches can be caused by several factors, many of them that cardio won’t prevent. Headaches can be caused by genetics, lack of sleep, and food triggers, which cardio may not be helpful for.
It’s also worth noting that overexertion can also cause headaches. Increasing the intensity too quickly can also cause this. For the best anti-headache effect, your heart rate shouldn’t reach over 150 BPM, or you shouldn’t be exerting yourself to the point where you can’t breathe exclusively through your nose.
However, it can help for up to 65 percent of patients, which is as effective as any available medications that are supposed to do the same job.
