Impact of headaches on academic life
The majority of participants (74.3 %) continued attending lectures while experiencing a headache. A large portion of the participants stated that headaches affected studying for tests and/or examinations (92.7 %). Majority reported that experiencing a headache limited their concentration at lectures (97.2 %; p  < 0.001) and felt too tired to continue working (98.2 %; p  < 0.001). Almost more than half of the participants (53.2 %) indicated that the headache was more intense than usual when studying for tests and exams (p  < 0.001). Almost more than a third of participants that experienced a headache when studying, stopped studying due to the headache (33.9 %), and some (8.3 %) continued without the use of medication. However, a significant proportion (57.8 %) continued with the use of medication (p  < 0.001).
Sleeping patterns were altered during tests and/or examination periods (90.8 %; p  < 0.001). More than a third of the participants studied for long periods without taking regular breaks (42.2 %). A large number of participants consumed beverages such as caffeinated energy drinks, chocolate or coffee (66.1 %) to help sustain their concentration for a longer period of time. Consumption of these drinks during a headache made the study session less effective (p  < 0.001). Lighting in the study area was adequate and did not affect studying (75.2 %; p  < 0.001).