Many people may wonder if headaches are a direct result of stress. The answer is yes, no, and maybe.
Stress can cause many headaches and they can exacerbate others. However, knowing the type of headache you are dealing with can help you to know if stress is a trigger, a contributor, or simply a by-product of the type of headache you are experiencing, so you know the best ways to focus on pain relief and prevention.
While people often blame stress entirely for headaches, other factors frequently contribute. Similarly, those predisposed to headaches may find stress acts as their primary trigger. Understanding your specific headache patterns and their connection to stress proves valuable in all cases.
Types of Headaches That May Be Caused By Stress
There are three different types of headaches, two of which are not caused primarily by stress, and one that may be:
- Migraine Headaches: Headaches associated with migraines can be severe and even debilitating, and can last from four to 72 hours.1 These headaches are usually on one side of the head (unilateral) and worsen with daily activities like walking around. There can be nausea or sensitivity to light and sound involved, and sometimes an aura. Experts don’t consider stress a direct migraine trigger—but it lowers your threshold for attacks. As headache specialist Teri Robert explains: ‘Stress doesn’t directly cause migraines, but it makes you more vulnerable to your usual triggers.’ So while stress amplifies migraine risk, it’s not the root cause.
- Secondary Headaches: This is the umbrella under which fall all headaches are caused by more serious conditions such as brain tumors and strokes. They are also not directly caused by stress. Although, in the same way, that stress makes us more susceptible to illness, and those illnesses can cause headaches, stress is indirectly related to secondary headaches.
- Tension Headaches: These headaches, also called “stress headaches,” are experienced periodically by more than one-third of adults. They involve both sides of the head and generally feel like a tightness in the forehead or back of the neck. They’re not generally debilitating; people with tension headaches can normally go about their regular activities. Those who experience them usually don’t have them more than once or twice a month, to varying degrees.2 And, as the name suggests, they are thought to be directly caused by stress.
The Link Between Stress and Migraines
Managing and Preventing Headaches
Since stress contributes to most adult headaches (especially tension headaches), effective stress management can prevent or reduce many of them.
Some examples of headache-reducing stress management techniques are:
- Yoga
- Biofeedback
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
- Meditation
- Breathwork
- Tai Chi
Stress can worsen migraines by increasing sensitivity to triggers, so stress relief may help prevent attacks. Also, managing stress supports immunity, potentially reducing secondary headaches linked to illness.
When to See a Doctor
Aside from the use of stress management techniques, many people find that over-the-counter stress relievers are also very helpful. However, particularly with migraines, heavier medications may prove to be more useful.
Shortened version:
Some headaches may signal serious health issues. See a doctor if headaches are severe, persistent, or concerning. While stress management helps, seek medical advice if headaches disrupt daily life or require more than self-care.
