The research: For 2 years, the study team kept tabs on stress levels, headache type, and headache regularity among more than 5,000 adults. The more stress the study participants reported, the more often they suffered from headaches, the study data shows. Stress was self-reported on a scale from 0 to 100. For every 10-point rise in stress, tension headache frequency increased by 6%. The same elevation in stress caused a 4% jump in monthly migraine episodes, the study authors found. More from Prevention: 2-Minute Stress Solutions What it means: The links between stress and headaches aren’t clear at this point, says study coauthor Sara Schramm, MD, of the University Hospital of Duisburg-Essen University. She says headaches are likely caused by a complex combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. And so pinpointing specific mechanisms underlying the headache-stress link may prove difficult. For now, the important thing to understand is that, regardless of your headache type, stress probably helps bring the headache on and may also make it more severe, Dr. Schramm says. The bottom line: While the connection between headaches and stress isn’t well understood, there’s plenty of proof that the connection exists, Schramm says. And there are several proven stress-lowering methods that should also help reduce the frequency of your headaches. Schramm mentions meditation and yoga as two activities that research shows will offer you relief. Try this 5-minute meditation exercise to banish your migraine before it starts. More from Prevention: 13 Foods That Fight Stress
