Stress Headache

Stress is a very common trigger for headaches and migraines and one key method of relieving stress is relaxation. Think in terms of extreme relaxation. When it comes to a stress headache or migraine, simply relaxing in a recliner isn’t enough to deal with that level of stress.

Relaxation Techniques to Combat a Stress Headache

There are three major types of relaxation technique:

Autogenic training – uses visual imaging and bodily awareness to advance the patient into a state of deep relaxation. The patient imagines a tranquil location and then begins to focus on physical sensations that gradually move upward from the feet toward the head

Progressive muscle relaxation – involves the slow tensing and then releasing of each muscle group individually, beginning with the muscles in the toes and finishing with the head

Meditation – uses either Transcendental Meditation involving the repetition of a mantra, or mindfulness meditation in which patients focus their attention on their momentary thoughts and sensations.

In many cases meditation can improve your quality of life while reducing stress. Relaxation techniques can also help to combat a stress headache by reducing the perception of pain.

A study using patients undergoing colorectal surgery concluded that patients who listened to guided-imagery tapes before, during, and after the operation had less pain and needed less pain medication than those who did not.

Meditation is also used extensively in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, relaxation techniques have been found useful in strengthening the skills needed to cope with frequent migraine pain.

Everyday Ways to Relieve a Stress Headache through Relaxation

Relaxation techniques that can relive a stress headache anywhere at any time include:

Deep breathing

Active relaxation

Stretching exercises

Visualization

Passive relaxation

Deep breathing - simply breathe in deeply through the nose, letting your stomach expand as much as possible. It may be helpful to place your hands firmly and comfortably on your stomach during the exercise. Once you’ve breathed in as much as possible, hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this for 3 or 4 breaths several times a day.

Active relaxation – first tense, and then relax each muscle in the body. Start with the muscles in the head and gradually move down to the muscles in the feet.

Stretching exercises – these are easy and can be done literally anywhere. Stretching is a wonderful way to loosen up tight muscles and combat a stress headache. Muscle tension is an automatic physical response to stress and the benefit of simple stretching exercises is often overlooked as a relaxation technique.

Visualization – another relaxation technique that can help to reduce stress is clearing the mind or visualization. Visualization is a type of directed meditation that involves using the mind’s eye to clear away mental clutter or to actually visualize how a stressful situation can be handled successfully.

Picturing the stressful situation in your mind such as a business presentation or an athletic performance, and then visually rehearsing the outcome can be very positive. Visualization techniques may also be used to imagine a peaceful scene such as ocean waves lapping on the beach.

Meditation and self-hypnosis are passive techniques that can be used to induce relaxation. Four elements are used in meditation:

a quiet environment

a point of focus such as a neutral word that can help with concentration

a passive, accepting attitude

a comfortable position

Meditation once or twice a day for 10-20 minutes each time can provide relief from chronic stress and a stress headache.

Stress Headache – other benefits of relaxation

In additional to combating that stress headache, learning ways to relax can have many benefits, perhaps the most important of which is developing a feeling of confidence towards facing the everyday challenges of life. Relaxation can help to:

Increase resistance to illness and disease

Reduce your heart rate

Reduce unhealthy stress and anxiety

Cope with medical problems, such as chronic pain or diabetes

Cope with extremely stressful or painful situations, such as childbirth.

Lower blood pressure

Relieve muscle tension

Prevent, manage and cope with migraine headaches

Side Effects of Relaxation to Treat a Stress Headache

Relaxation techniques are also considered very safe and generally don’t have any side effects, although there have been very rare and unusual cases where people have actually raised their levels of anxiety rather than lowered them after using the techniques because of a heightened awareness of body sensations. Even rarer are the reports of pain, heart palpitations, muscle twitching, and crying spells.

Relaxation is one of the best methods of curing a stress headache, so try out some of these methods today.

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