Headaches can be quite stressful affecting our daily routine. Headaches are commonly experienced by people worldwide. There are various types of headaches which re-experienced by people such as migraine headaches, tension headaches, cluster headaches, and others. Headache triggers can either be environmental, hormonal due to menstruation/ ovulation/ menopause, physical, stressful situations, consuming excess alcohol, dehydration, smoking, reading books, excess screen time and others. You can prevent your headaches by knowing the triggering factors and figuring out what causes headaches. You can avoid headaches with these five simple ways:
Choose perfect mattress, right pillows and be consistent regarding your sleep schedule. The healthy practice to sleep regularly at a specific time and being consistent aids in preventing any headaches. Maintain a good posture while you sleep so that your muscles don’t become stiff or result in soreness instead you feel relaxed and mindful. Other than the perfect mattress, try managing the bedroom environment. Choose dim lights and avoid any flickering or bright lights as they can stimulate the migraine headache. Wear your sunglasses when you plan on going outdoors, choose fluorescent lights in your rooms and use anti-glare screens over your computers or adjust brightness on your laptops or mobile phones which prevents any headaches.
Choose a healthy diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat, dairy products, and healthy beverages. Keep a diary and log down the foods which cause headaches, then avoid eating those foods or beverages as they serve as triggering factors. Other than the diet consume enough amounts of water as dehydration can also result in headaches. Drink plenty of water i.e. around 8-10 glasses of water each day so that it meets your body fluid intake. Incorporate caffeinated drinks in your everyday routine which offers relaxation to your mind and helps in relieving severe headaches. However, it’s better to avoid caffeine if it triggers migraine headaches.
Try managing stressful situations as stress can cause headaches due to the release of hormones in the body. As we have already discussed that headaches do occur due to hormonal changes within the body. Try managing stress through stress relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga or certain hobbies which makes you feel stress-free.
You can use hot or cold packs if you are suffering from headaches as it helps in relieving the headache symptoms. For migraine headaches, you can use cold pack over your forehead or ice cubes wrapped within the towel or a bag full of frozen peas. For tension headaches, you can use hot compresses or a heating pad that helps in relieving the headaches. For sinus headaches, you can use a warm cloth over the area of the face that hurts.
Practice relaxation techniques in your everyday routine like perform meditation, stretches, yoga or muscle relaxation techniques which help in relieving the headaches. Choose a specific schedule to perform relaxation techniques like performing it early morning in a nearby park or the room where you are exposed to some natural light. It helps you feel relaxed and content which aids in relieving headaches. You can have a massage or acupuncture that stimulates the pressure points within the body and offers relaxation to your overall body.
If the headaches don’t wear off with these simple tips then visit your healthcare professional. Discuss all the signs and symptoms, get yourself the prescription medicines and get yourself relieved with the headaches.