Why Do My Migraines Get Worse When I’m Stressed? Understanding the Mind-Body Connection
You've probably noticed the pattern. Big deadline at work? Migraine. Family conflict? Migraine. Even good stress—like planning a wedding or preparing for a vacation—can trigger a migraine.
It's frustrating. You're already dealing with stress. And then your brain decides to add a migraine on top of it.
But here's what you need to know: This isn't random. And it's not your fault.
There's a real, physical connection between stress and migraines. Understanding how it works can help you break the pattern. At Aspire Counseling, we offer Counseling for Chronic Pain, a subset of therapy that not every mental health professional provides. And Migraines specifically? We frequently talk about how counseling helps with migraines when medication isn’t enough to make a difference.
How Does Stress Trigger Migraines in the Brain?
When you're stressed, your brain thinks you're in danger.
It doesn't matter if you're actually in danger or just worried about an email you need to send. Your brain responds the same way. It releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Your heart rate goes up. Your muscles tense. Your blood vessels change—first narrowing, then widening.
All of these changes are supposed to help you handle danger. If you needed to run from something scary, these responses would be useful.
But when you're stressed about everyday things—money, work, relationships—your body stays in this alert state. And that creates perfect conditions for a migraine.
Here's what happens when you are stressed
Your muscles tighten. Especially in your neck, jaw, and shoulders. You might not even notice you're doing it. But that tension can trigger a migraine directly. Or it makes you more sensitive to other triggers.
Your blood vessels act differently. The changes in how blood flows through your brain are part of what creates migraine pain. Stress makes these changes more dramatic.
Your pain threshold drops. When you're stressed, everything hurts more. A trigger that wouldn't have caused a migraine on a calm day can push you over the edge when you're stressed.
Your nervous system gets stuck on high alert. The more stressed you are, the more your brain looks for danger. It starts to interpret normal sensations as warning signs. This creates even more migraines.
The connection isn't just in your imagination. It's happening in your actual nervous system.
What Is the Nervous System's Role in Migraine Patterns?
Your nervous system has two main modes: calm and alert.
The calm mode (called parasympathetic) is when you're relaxed. Your heart rate is normal. Your muscles are loose. Your brain isn't scanning for danger.
The alert mode (called sympathetic) is when you're stressed or scared. This is your "fight or flight" response. Everything speeds up. Your body gets ready for action.
Both modes are useful. You need alert mode when there's real danger. You need calm mode to rest and recover.
The problem comes when you get stuck in alert mode.
When you're chronically stressed, your nervous system forgets how to shift back to calm. It stays on high alert all the time. Even when you think you're relaxed, your body is still tense and vigilant.
This constant alertness makes migraines much more likely.
Think of it like a smoke alarm that's too sensitive. A little bit of steam from the shower, and it goes off. That's what happens to your brain when your nervous system is stuck on high alert. Small triggers that wouldn't normally cause a migraine now set off the alarm.
Over time, this pattern can get worse. Your brain learns that stress = migraine. So it becomes more and more likely to create a migraine whenever you're stressed.
The good news? Your nervous system can learn something different.
Can You Break the Stress-Migraine Cycle?
Yes. But not by trying to eliminate all stress from your life. That's not realistic.
The key is changing how your nervous system responds to stress.
Here's what the cycle looks like:
You get stressed → Your nervous system goes on high alert → This creates conditions for a migraine → You get a migraine → Now you're stressed about having a migraine → Your nervous system stays on high alert → The next stress trigger is more likely to cause a migraine.
The cycle feeds on itself.
Breaking it doesn't mean becoming a person who never feels stress. It means teaching your nervous system that stress doesn't always have to lead to a migraine.
This happens through:
Noticing when you're stressed before it builds up. Most people ignore stress until it's overwhelming. But stress happens in your body first—tight shoulders, shallow breathing, clenched jaw. Learning to notice these early signs gives you a chance to respond differently.
Helping your nervous system shift out of alert mode. There are specific things you can do that tell your body "we're safe now." Deep breathing. Gentle movement. Taking breaks. These aren't just nice ideas—they actually change your nervous system.
Not adding stress about stress. When you think "I shouldn't be stressed" or "why can't I handle this?" that actually creates more stress. Your nervous system hears those thoughts as more evidence of danger.
Understanding that all parts of you have good reasons. The part that's stressed is trying to help you handle everything on your plate. The part that's worried about migraines is trying to protect you. When you can make space for all of it without fighting yourself, your nervous system naturally calms down.
Breaking the cycle takes practice. But it's absolutely possible.
How Do Emotions and Stress Change My Migraine Signals?
Your brain doesn't have separate compartments for "physical" and "emotional." Everything affects everything.
When you're stressed or dealing with difficult emotions, your brain is more likely to interpret body sensations as dangerous.
Here's what that looks like:
On a calm day, you might feel some pressure behind your eyes. Your brain notes it and moves on. No migraine.
On a stressed day, you feel that same pressure. But now your brain thinks: "Danger! Something's wrong!" It amplifies the signal. It creates more pain. It triggers all the changes that lead to a full migraine.
The sensation itself might be identical. What's different is how your brain interprets it.
This is why migraines often show up:
After a fight with your partner
During busy weeks at work
When you're worried about money
After trying to hold it together through a difficult event
Even when you're happy but excited (excitement activates your nervous system too)
Your emotions aren't causing the migraine.
Your pain is real. However, emotions are creating the conditions that make a migraine more likely.
Understanding this is actually hopeful. Because you can't always control your circumstances. But you can learn to work with your emotional and physical responses.
When you notice you're stressed or upset, you can:
Acknowledge it (instead of pushing it away)
Take a few deep breaths
Give yourself permission to feel whatever you're feeling
Do something to help your nervous system settle
These small actions can prevent a stress trigger from becoming a migraine.
What Can I Do Today to Reduce Stress-Related Migraines?
You don't have to wait until you've finished therapy to start changing this pattern. Here are things you can do right now:
Notice your body's stress signals early. Check in with yourself several times a day. Are your shoulders up by your ears? Is your jaw clenched? Is your breathing shallow? These are signs your nervous system is in alert mode. Notice them without judgment. Then do something small to help—roll your shoulders, take three slow breaths, stretch your neck.
Take actual breaks during stressful days. Not just scrolling your phone while still thinking about work. Real breaks where you step away, move your body, or look at something other than a screen. Even two minutes makes a difference.
Stop fighting the fact that you're stressed. When you think "I shouldn't feel this way" or "other people handle this better," you're adding stress on top of stress. What if you said instead: "I'm stressed right now, and that makes sense given what's happening"? That acceptance actually helps your nervous system settle.
Pay attention to the transitions between activities. Moving from one thing to another without pause keeps your nervous system revved up. Take 30 seconds between tasks to breathe and reset.
Sleep matters more than you think. Stress disrupts sleep. Poor sleep makes stress worse and lowers your migraine threshold. Protect your sleep time as much as you can. It's not selfish—it's necessary.
Watch for the "let-down" effect. Many people get migraines after stressful periods end—on vacation, after a deadline, over the weekend. If this is you, pay extra attention to helping your nervous system shift out of alert mode during those times.
Remember: Slow is fast. You might feel pressure to rush through stress or push past it. But when we slow down and really pay attention to what's happening in our bodies and emotions, things shift more reliably.
All parts of you are allowed to be here. The stressed part. The tired part. The part that wishes this wasn't so hard. When you can make space for all of it, your nervous system doesn't have to fight so hard.
These aren't cures. But they're tools. And each time you use them, you're teaching your nervous system something new about stress.
You Don't Have to Do This Alone
If stress-related migraines are taking over your life, therapy can help you address the patterns keeping them stuck.
We work with people experiencing chronic migraines throughout Missouri. We help you understand the stress-migraine connection and learn specific skills to change it.
Schedule your free consultation through contacting us online or calling us at 573-328-2288.
This article was written by the clinical team at Aspire Counseling, a therapy practice in Lee's Summit and Columbia, Missouri, specializing in chronic pain, anxiety, and trauma. Our therapists use evidence-based approaches including Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) to help clients with stress-related migraines. Available in person in Lee's Summit and online throughout Missouri.
