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Don’t want to pop a pill? Hit the gym instead. Exercise is just as effective as drugs are when it comes to preventing migraines, according to new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Treatments documented as effective in the prevention of migraines have, until now, included topiramate-based drugs (like the migraine-prevention medication Topamax) and relaxation exercises, but not exercise.
The study, published in the medical journal Cephalalgia, compared the effects of 40 minutes of exercise three days a week to the effects of the already proven migraine-prevention methods: performing relaxation exercises and taking topiramate. The study lasted for three months and follow-ups were completed after three and six months.
The number of migraines decreased in all three groups, with no recorded difference in the preventative effect between the three treatments.
But since exercise packs tons of other health benefits, why not strap on your running shoes?
Check out these other health benefits of exercise:
Why Your Body Needs Strength Training
6 Reasons to Run