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Nothing stops a workout faster than a throbbing headache. But, getting rid of it may be easier than you think. Fitness magazine is here to help.

Transcript

Audra Lowe: Things sabotages your workout, like a throbbing headache and exercise can cause pain but as the same it can also help ease pain too. So Holly Pevner is here, she’s the Senior Editor of Fitness Magazine and Holly has got some of the most common headache triggers and tips for ditching pain. Welcome back Holly, good to have you. Holly Pevner: Thank you. Audra Lowe: That’s the worst thing in the world, you are out there working out and then you get a headache on top it. And like we just said, headaches are supposed to go away when you're working out, that’s supposed to help. Holly Pevner: Biologic does. One of the best things you can do to stay away from headaches, but sometimes what you did before you workout or during your workout actually trigger a headache. Audra Lowe: And that’s what the whole entire article is dedicated to, I didn’t realized there was that many triggers too. Holly Pevner: One of the first things that you talk about is improper breathing, so if you're not breathing right, often people will unconsciously hold their breath while they're working out. It happens a lot when you're lifting weights. And when you do that you'll have a sudden spike in blood pressure and that will trigger a headache. So if you noticed—a sure way to know that you're holding breath is if you are grunting during your workout. That’s a clue that you need to take some deep breaths. Audra Lowe: Or you start turning blue. Holly Pevner: Yes. Audra Lowe: Yeah, that might do the trick. Alright, you also have in the article, sudden sprinting, so meaning going from like a slow walk? Holly Pevner: Going from zero to a 100, you need to warm up. Scientist has found that people who do warm up have lower blood levels of nitric oxide which is a brain chemical link to migraines. So you really want to do 10-15 minutes of the exercise. You're going to be doing just taken down a notch. Audra Lowe: And just ease into it a little bit. Holly Pevner: Just easing to it. Audra Lowe: Okay, what about the food choices that you make. You guys did touch on that in the article. What you eat before you workout can trigger a headache too? Holly Pevner: Yes, there are some standard pre-workout snacks that people go to like a soy smoothie, a banana, or citrus fruits that actually for certain people can trigger a headache because of an amino acid called tyramine in the foods. So you just want to sort keep track, maybe do a food diary to see perhaps that is what causing your headaches. Now if it is switch to a different kind of smoothie, do a rice protein smoothie with some berries. It's a great pre-workout snack. Audra Lowe: And you have to drink water, a lot of people are so dehydrated when they get to the gym, so they think, “I don’t want to load myself down with a bunch of water,” but that-- Holly Pevner: But you need to, that’s one of the most common headache triggers is dehydration. Scientists aren't quite sure exactly that happens, something about perhaps the pressure in your arteries, but they do know having 8 ounces an hour before your workout is the best thing you can do and keeping hydrated while you're working out. Audra Lowe: This is something else that I struggle with not a good gym, just in regular, everyday life for posture. And at the gym, especially you really have to focus on it, because that can trigger a headache. Holly Pevner: Definitely, we found out 75% of tension headaches, they come from poor posture. And poor postures all over the gym and the most common problem is crunches. People are pulling on their neck; they're straining their neck which can cause a headache. Audra Lowe: But yoga good for that though, isn't that? Holly Pevner: Yoga is great. People who do yoga have better posture and they also have less headaches. So what you learn yoga class, you can take over the workouts. Audra Lowe: So I've been getting my Zen on and I love yoga, I really do, and no headaches so far too. Holly Pevner: Great. Audra Lowe: Last but not least, the other thing you mentioned in the article was weak muscles. How does that joist in the brain and trigger a headache? Holly Pevner: Well, people who are newer to exercise tend to have a weaker neck muscles and that when you're running, when you're doing aerobics, it’ll joust your head around and that can trigger a headache. So you really just want to do some targeted neck exercise, which you can find on fitnessmagazine.com and then you can straighten yourself that way. Audra Lowe: Sounds good. Good information, thank you so much Holly. Holly Pevner: Thank you. Audra Lowe: Thanks for stopping by. 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