# Can Anxiety Cause Headaches or Migraines? | Anima Felix > Yes. Anxiety can bring on tension headaches and can trigger attacks in people who have migraine. How to tell the two apart, what helps, and when to get help. Source: https://animafelix.com/blog/can-anxiety-cause-headaches-or-migraines/ Body symptoms 5 min read # Can Anxiety Cause Headaches or Migraines? A tight band of pressure on a stressful day is a familiar way for anxiety to show up in the body. Migraine is a different condition, and a few headache signs need a doctor even when anxiety seems to explain them. By Sebastian Cochinescu Founder, Anima Felix October 15, 2026 Yes, anxiety can cause headaches, and the type most tied to stress is the tension-type headache, a dull band of pressure on both sides of the head. Migraine is a separate condition, although anxiety and stress can trigger attacks in people who already have it. [The NHS lists headaches among the physical symptoms of anxiety](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/anxiety-fear-panic/). This post covers why a tense body hurts, how the two differ, what helps, and which signs need a doctor. ## Why anxiety and a tense body can lead to a headache When you feel anxious, [your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/anxiety-fear-panic/), which can bring physical symptoms. You may notice this first in a clenched jaw or raised shoulders. [What anxiety feels like in the body](/blog/what-does-anxiety-feel-like-in-the-body/) covers other physical sensations. [Cleveland Clinic](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8257-tension-headaches) notes that tension-type headaches are also called stress headaches. The exact cause is unknown, but one explanation is that the muscles between the head and neck knot up and gradually tighten the scalp muscles. Its list of triggers includes anxiety, poor posture and jaw joint disorders. [The NHS names stress, sleep problems and caffeine as common causes of tension headaches](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tension-headaches/), and its [general headache advice](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/headaches/) adds irregular meals and not drinking enough. Anxiety can bring two of those, since the NHS anxiety page lists trouble sleeping and loss of appetite as symptoms. For more, read [how anxiety affects your sleep](/blog/how-anxiety-affects-your-sleep-and-what-to-do/) and [caffeine and anxiety](/blog/caffeine-and-anxiety-how-much-is-too-much/). ## Tension headache or migraine **A tension-type headache** presses rather than throbs. [The NHS describes pain on both sides of the head, face or neck](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tension-headaches/), as if something is pressing on the head or tightening around it. Cleveland Clinic places the pressure across the forehead and temples, often with tight neck and shoulder muscles. Walking or climbing stairs does not usually make it worse. **Migraine** is a condition of its own, linked to changes in the nerves and blood vessels of the brain. [The NHS describes a throbbing headache](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/), often on one side and worse when you move, with nausea or vomiting and strong sensitivity to light and sound. The cause of migraine is not known, and the NHS lists anxiety, stress and tiredness among the triggers some people find set off an attack. So anxiety can set off an attack, but it does not explain migraine itself. The NHS advises seeing a GP for throbbing pain on one side or at the front of the head, or if you feel sick or vomit and find light or noise painful, because these can be signs of a different type of headache. ## What eases it, and what keeps it going **The loop runs both ways.** Head pain makes you worry about what it means. Worry brings checking: pressing on your temples, scanning for new symptoms, searching online. Checking keeps the body braced, and [the NHS notes that stress can make headaches worse](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/headaches/). [What is an anxiety loop](/blog/what-is-an-anxiety-loop/) explains how that repeats. **For a familiar tension headache,** drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, eat at regular times and drink water. The NHS also suggests exercise, yoga or massage and cutting down on caffeine. A [guided body relaxation](/exercises/body-relaxation/) helps you notice held tension one muscle group at a time. If one big stressor keeps the tension going, [Stress Jenga](/exercises/stress-jenga/) helps you name it and pick one small action. **Watch the painkillers.** The NHS warns that taking painkillers for headaches too often or for a long time can itself cause headaches, known as overuse or rebound headaches, and Cleveland Clinic says these are very hard to treat. If you reach for tablets on many days, ask a GP or pharmacist how often is right for you. If you get regular tension headaches, a GP may suggest a headache diary. Record what the GP asks for and then close it, because a diary you open every hour has become monitoring. If the fear of what the headache means is now the bigger problem, the [health anxiety page](/anxiety/health/) covers that pattern. ## When a headache needs a doctor [The NHS says most headaches are not serious](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/headaches/), but some need help straight away, whatever role anxiety plays. Call your local emergency number or go to an emergency department if a headache started suddenly and is extremely painful, or comes with any of these: numbness or weakness in the body or face; difficulty speaking, balancing, walking or remembering things; drowsiness or confusion; loss of vision; a seizure; a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it; a very high temperature, a stiff neck or bright lights bothering you. The same applies after a head injury in the last three months. Do not drive yourself. Ask for an urgent appointment if a headache comes with vision or eye problems, vomiting, jaw pain when eating or a sore scalp, or is triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing, bending down or exercise. See a GP if headaches are regular, severe, getting worse or not helped by painkillers and relaxing. Cleveland Clinic also lists headaches that feel different or come more often than usual. Most headaches are not serious. A sudden, severe or new kind of headache needs medical assessment, even if you have anxiety. Related pages What Does Anxiety Feel Like in the Body? How Anxiety Affects Your Sleep (and What to Do) Health Anxiety Stress Jenga Exercise Why Do I Shake When I'm Anxious, and How Do I Calm It? Can Anxiety Cause Brain Fog? ## Frequently asked questions Where is an anxiety headache located? + Headaches linked to anxiety are usually tension-type headaches. The NHS describes pain on both sides of the head, face or neck, and Cleveland Clinic places the pressure across the forehead and temples. Throbbing one-sided pain with nausea or light sensitivity fits migraine better and is worth raising with a GP. Can anxiety cause migraines? + Migraine is a separate condition with no known cause. In people who already have it, the NHS lists anxiety, stress and tiredness among the triggers that can set off an attack. A GP can confirm migraine and talk through treatment. How long does an anxiety headache last? + The NHS says tension headaches last at least 30 minutes and can go on much longer, sometimes for several days. See a GP if a headache is getting worse, does not ease with simple painkillers, or feels different from your usual pattern. Can anxiety cause headaches every day? + Ongoing stress, short sleep and tight muscles can keep tension headaches coming back often. The NHS advises seeing a GP if you get headaches several times a week. Frequent painkiller use can itself cause rebound headaches. Author Sebastian Cochinescu ยท Founder, Anima Felix Founder of Anima Felix. Writes about everyday anxiety patterns, practical calming tools, and how conversational product design can support people in anxious moments. Read author profile Where Anima Felix fits ## For the tension behind the headache When headaches follow a familiar pattern and you want to work on the muscle tension and stress behind them, Anima Felix offers wellness support: a guided body relaxation and short structured exercises. It does not assess head pain, tell a migraine from a tension headache, advise on medicines, or replace a doctor. Try body relaxation Explore health anxiety More from the blog Body symptoms Can Anxiety Cause Brain Fog? Worry keeps part of your attention busy in the background, which leaves less for everything else. The fog is real, and anxiety is not its only possible cause. Body symptoms Can Anxiety Cause a Lump in Your Throat? That stuck feeling has a name, globus sensation, and anxiety is one of its known causes. The quickest clue is whether food and drink still go down normally. Body symptoms Can Dehydration Cause Anxiety? Low fluids can produce sensations that an already watchful nervous system may read as danger. How that overlap works, and why water can correct a fluid shortfall but does not treat anxiety.