Why do women get headaches more often than men?

Few things are as inconvenient and frustrating as a headache. Suffering from a daily headache can happen to anybody. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “In the U.S., headaches cause 112 million sick days each year.”

However, research shows that women suffer more often than men. In a study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain, researchers found that, for women under 50, headache disorders are the leading cause of disability.

There are many reasons a headache can occur and why they are more frequent in women than men. Although recent research doesn’t account for all types of headaches — certain kinds are more common in men than in women — here are a few reasons women may struggle from headache pain more often:

Hormone fluctuations

Women experience hormonal changes due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause. Fluctuations in estrogen, particularly a decrease in estrogen levels, can trigger headaches, according to health experts.

“In childhood, migraines are more prevalent in males. But once the influence of estrogen begins, that’s when the prevalence starts to rise in females,” neurologist Charulatha P. Nagar told Northwestern Medicine.

Among women who suffer from migraines, the occurrence and timing of these headaches are often linked to the hormonal fluctuations associated with their menstrual cycle.

“Many women … experience migraine headaches before and during menstruation, just after their estrogen levels drop,” according to neurologist Jelena Pavlovic’s research. “(The research) has found that women who get migraine headaches tend to experience steeper estrogen drops than women who don’t,” per The New York Times.

Higher stress levels

While both men and women experience stress, how it impacts them can be different. In a survey shared by the Priory Group, “there were 590 cases of stress per 100,000 workers for men and 920 cases for women, meaning that women workers are one and a half times more likely than men to be stressed.”

When stress leads to anxiety, it often results in unhealthy eating habits, irregular sleep patterns and other activities that can further contribute to the occurrence of headaches.

“Sleep deprivation and stress can contribute to more frequent headaches,” Gayatri Devi, professor of neurology at the Zucker School of Medicine, told Today. “Women are more likely to suffer from either than men.”

When the onset symptoms of a stress headache begin to show, Harvard Health Publishing recommends trying these tips to alleviate stress:

• Perform a relaxing exercise.
• Stretch your muscles.
• Take a mindful break.
• Go for a walk.
• Play calming music.
• Find something to make you laugh.
• Reduce loud noises.
• Dispute negative thoughts.

Migraine prevalence

While headaches and migraines both cause head pain, they are different. While headaches are not usually severe enough to keep you from going about your day, “migraines affect your brain directly, which is why they’re so severe. It’s common for the symptoms to be severe enough to disrupt your routine and activities. Trying to go about your life as you would under ordinary circumstances can feel unbearable when you have a migraine,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Migraines are most common in adults ages 20-50 and occur three to four times more often in women than in men, a study published in PubMed Central discovered.

The study added that migraines impact individuals in their working years and significantly affect both the mental and physical health and productivity of employees, regardless of their specific job responsibilities.

Preventative treatments

While the factors explored above might contribute to a higher prevalence of headaches in women, individual experiences can vary greatly.

“Headaches are one of the most modifiable disorders,” Nagar told Northwestern Medicine. “There is hope for seeking relief, and they’re very simple things.”

A few preventative options include:

• Making lifestyle changes.
• Eating a balanced diet.
• Staying hydrated.
• Exercising regularly.
• Getting proper sleep.
• Asking your physician for treatment options.