For those who suffer from frequent migraine pain, sticking to an exercise regime can be very difficult. The last thing you probably want to do is hop on a treadmill when you have a migraine-however, light exercise, such as walking on a treadmill, can actually end up helping your pain in many instances.
There are countless reasons why migraines can attack-some of them include hormones, pregnancy, altitude, humidify and weather changes, muscle pain, foods, menstrual cycles, and more. Exercise can be a trigger too, depending on the circumstances.
Medical researchers have discovered that sudden heavy physical exertion releases high levels of nitric oxide into the bloodstream of those who are prone to these headaches, which causes their blood vessels to dilate for several hours, causing that excruciating pain. Researchers also found that those who practice a significant warm-up time, can actually prevent these headaches from occurring.
The key is to perform a slow and thorough warm up each and every time, especially if you are trying a new exercise for the first time. Make sure that you begin any new program very slowly, and introduce new movements carefully.
One of the warm-up exercises you can do is to isolate and stretch the muscles in your neck, helping them to relax. Try doing this throughout the day, and each time before you exercise.
Stand or sit tall in a chair. Place your hands on your hips and relax your shoulders.
Slowly tilt your head to the right, and hold the position for ten to fifteen seconds. Make sure that you breath naturally, and do not hold your breath.
Switch to the opposite side now, and hold the stretch for just as long. Alternate back and forth between the sides, about five times. This will help your muscles to calm and relax, and will allow for peaceful breathing to occur.
Though you may not want to exercise while you are experiencing pain, sometimes going on a slow walk in the fresh air can help your blood vessels to shrink back to their normal size, relieving your pain and discomfort. Exercise also helps to reduce anxiety, which can relieve pain, and help you to cope with it better.
Working out on a regular basis helps you to tone your blood vessel, which helps to control the negative chain reaction that takes places when you get a headache. The more regularly you exercise, the more easily you will be able to control and prevent your pain.
When you exercise frequently, you also tend to sleep better at night. The more peaceful sleep you are able to achieve, the less likely you are to get a fatigue induced migraine.
Sleep is very important for migraine sufferers-keep this in mind when scheduling your day. Working out increases the endomorphism in your body, which are the body's natural painkillers.
They help you feel better overall. This level can be especially low in those who have these specific headaches, and taking other painkillers on a regular basis can also lower this level.
When you do choose to workout, take the time to start with a walk, or better yet some stretches. This will keep your muscles from getting sore, and keep your body from falling into the headache cycle.
If you are afraid of getting a headache because of exercise, be careful to take it easy, and choose a kind of fitness that is very low impact. If you find that your pain is getting worse, try laying down and stretching in the dark for a while.
If you already have a headache, take it easy at first. Make sure that you do not become overheated, as this can trigger head pain.
Working out every day will make a positive difference in the overall picture for you. If nothing else, try to get about thirty minutes of moderate exercise almost every day.
Walk on your treadmill, use an elliptical machine, go for a swim, or play with the dogs. If you need to take a day off to rest your head, do so.
Allow yourself to stretch and cool down when you are done exercising, and try to take it easy after that. If you follow these tips and tricks, you may find that your pain is much easier to manage, and allows you to have more freedom when it comes to your workout routine.
Author Resource:-
Terry Daniels is a personal trainer and has authored hundreds of articles relating to physical training and treadmill. He has been a health expert and physical trainer for over 15 years.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 