Stress and Emotional Triggers of Headache

Stress and emotional triggers are common migraine triggers. Stress comes in many varieties, including time stress, emotional stress, and the stress of physical fatigue. Emotions pack a wallop for the migraine sufferer. Anger, depression, anxiety, and crying can trigger a migraine attack. Crying, in fact, can make a migraine quite a bit worse than it already was.

For many migraine sufferers, an attack can occur when the stress is over. This is known as a “let-down” headache. Let-down headaches can have a delayed onset, occurring a day or more after the stress has happened in your life.

Relaxation training, meditation, and counseling can help if stress and emotional triggers are a significant element in causing your headaches.

by Christina Peterson, MD

updated May 27, 2011