Uni without headaches – this is how it’s done

Studying was badly affected by the coronavirus crisis. Many new students were caught unawares by the suspension of in-person events and could not enjoy lectures and classes in a familiar environment for several semesters. Recorded lectures and remote seminars became the norm. Face-to-face contact with fellow students and teaching staff was no more. Frequently, studying during the coronavirus pandemic meant spending hours in front of a computer at home and participating in online events which, depending on circumstances, were prepared either more or less professionally and often under time pressure. Even today, there are still classes which continue to take place online and have not yet made their way back to the lecture theatre. It is therefore unsurprising that, in these circumstances, headaches are occurring more frequently than before the pandemic. This is reason enough to look for solutions.

Scientific confirmation

A study from 2018 was able to show that regular breaks are just as important in everyday student life as they are for working professionals. Especially during particularly demanding activities, they are indispensable for maintaining productivity and for avoiding periods of exhaustion which often lead to tension-type headache or increased migraine attacks. It becomes difficult to concentrate and every piece of work feels like an effort. Most people have probably experienced the feeling of reading a paragraph several times without taking in its meaning. At this point, it’s high time for a break and a short period of rest, during which energy reserves can be recharged. Indeed, an exhausted battery is the ideal breeding ground for headaches.

In the aforementioned study, ‘extra breaks’ of a few minutes were incorporated into lectures. These were either “unstructured breaks”, during which no activities took place or “exercise breaks” and “relaxation breaks”, which were filled with physical exercises and relaxation exercises respectively. The goal of this experimental setup was to find out whether the type of break had a subsequent effect on the condition of the students. The parameters “subjectively experienced tiredness” and “perceived productivity” were measured immediately before and 20 minutes after the breaks.

The evaluation of the data showed that breaks filled with physical exercise or relaxation exercises had significantly more prolonged positive effects. Students felt more energised and relaxed than those who had taken breaks without activities. Moreover, the feeling of having boosted their productivity continued for at least 20 minutes when participants had already immersed themselves in the next task or lecture.

Comparable studies produced similar findings. They confirmed the observation that “active” breaks had the strongest effect in terms of an effective and beneficial relaxation period. Presumably, active breaks improve the feeling of relaxation by “banishing” thoughts of work for a few moments and allowing the brain to concentrate on something completely different.

In a review in 2013, Canadian scientist Cheryl Regehr already examined in detail the stress levels of students, the most significant cause of widespread headache symptoms. As one conclusion from her results, she recommends that universities implement programs for managing and reducing stress. These should be advertised effectively and made accessible to all students.

What you can do to actively prevent headaches yourself

Headaches are hugely disruptive to thinking. This is especially true during exam seasons, when your brain is particularly overstretched, but also happens at other times. As is demonstrated by the research mentioned above, there are many tools available to you for staying productive and pain-free. The most important ones are: breaks, relaxation, sleep, exercise, food, hydration, and avoiding stress. We have already compiled valuable tips on these topics in previous articles on this website, which we highly recommend as a safe pathway through the thicket of headache hazards at university. You can find them here. Good luck with putting the tips into practice and preventing headaches!