If you have frequent or semi-frequent headaches for no apparent reason, there really is an apparent reason, you just can’t see the proverbial forest for the trees. Aside from health-related reasons, headaches can be triggered by a variety of things, like what you eat or don’t eat, getting too much rest or not getting enough rest. Life is all about balance and anytime something is out of balance, something is going to hurt.
Over Eating
The more you eat, the more you weight. The more you weigh the more headaches you will likely have. Obesity increases the frequency of headaches. Losing just a few pounds will reduce headache occurrences.
Under Eating
Skipping meals to get more work done usually causes a headache. Eat at regular intervals, even if it’s a grab-and-go piece of fruit, to prevent triggering a headache.
Too Much Rest
Score another reason for exercising – it can prevent headaches. Lounging around in front of the TV or at pool side all day can trigger a headache. Exercising relieves stress, pumps more blood to the brain and releases those feel-good endorphins. The less you move, the more stress build, the less blood flows and no feel-good endorphins are being released, all of which can cause your head to pound. Exercising 30 minutes per day can reduce headache frequency and duration.
Not Enough Rest
Being a weekend warrior or burning the candle at both ends by cutting back on sleep can cause a headache. If you get less than 6 hours of sleep, you are setting yourself up for a throbbing headache.
Caffeine
Too much caffeine or no caffeine can trigger a headache. Overindulgence in coffee, sodas, tea or chocolate can cause a headache, going cold-turkey to kick a caffeine habits can too. Balance your caffeine consumption to stop your head from aching.
Dehydration
Caffeine acts like a diuretic and can cause mild dehydration which leads to a headache. Not drinking enough of any liquid will cause dehydration and head pain. Add an extra glass or two of water to your daily liquid consumption to prevent headaches.
Breaks from Routines
When you live by the clock during the week and suddenly change it up on weekends, you’re inviting a headache. Go to bed, get up, have meals, etc, close to the same time seven days a week to prevent headaches.
Household Décor
Things in your home may be causing you to have a headache. Odors from carpeting, wall paint or wood finishes may contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause respiratory problems and headaches. Open a window so fresh air can come in and dissipate household décor odors.
Sex
Headaches are sometimes used as an excuse to avoid a sexual encounter, but sex can and does give many people headaches. Sex headaches are brought on by overexertion, with the head pain typically building during foreplay and intensifying at orgasm. Your favorite pain reliever taken prior to engaging in sexual activity can help.
You
You may be the cause of your own headaches. If you are rigid, controlling, obsessive and easily stressed, your personality may be the cause behind the headaches. Learn to relax and distress to lessen the frequency of the head pain.
