When you come down with a cold or flu, experience eyesight problems, or are a woman on your period, headaches might occur, and it doesn’t surprise us at all. We may expect them to happen at times. However, we can get headaches out of the blue and rarely have any idea why. However, we found out that there are other lesser-known factors that can trigger this pain, so read further to find out how you can ease your headache or even prevent it.
1. Poor posture
Your upper back, shoulders, and neck get tense from bad posture, which can result in tension headaches. Usually, the base of the skull is where the pain is felt, although it can occasionally flare into the face, especially the forehead.
How to prevent or ease the pain:
Try to avoid sitting or standing in the same position for a long period and try your best to always sit straight. Also, if you talk on the phone a lot, consider wearing a special headset, as holding your phone between your head and shoulder might strain the muscles and be the cause of the headache.
2. Autumn anxiety
Autumn anxiety is a form of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) that is associated with the changing of seasons. Increased anxiety symptoms during the fall months are not something uncommon and it might be because we usually get less sunlight exposure, we worry about the goals we didn’t manage to meet, the start of a new school year, and many other things. And, aside from emotional and mood changes anxiety can cause, it can also be the reason for your more frequent headaches.
How to prevent or ease the pain:
Getting more sunlight will help your body produce vitamin D and hormones, such as melatonin and serotonin, which play a huge role as mood stabilizers. Exercising, new experiences, and adopting a new routine can contribute to easing your anxiety symptoms as well. Also, consuming foods that are rich in vitamin D and tryptophan can be a big plus.
3. Not eating regular meals
If you skipped a meal and haven’t had anything to eat in a while, your blood sugar levels might drop and your body, in response, will release hormones that will send a signal to your brain that you are hungry. These hormones can tighten blood vessels in your body, which might lead to starting a hunger headache or even a migraine.
How to prevent or ease the pain:
Your body needs a consistent supply of energy to function properly, and food is its main source. So headaches that are caused by not eating regular meals can be relieved by eating and drinking water. However, if you are experiencing a hunger-related migraine, eating might not be enough to ease the pain, but some people found that consuming a bit of caffeine can help.
4. Cold weather
Cold weather can cause the barometric pressure to drop, which can provoke ear or sinus pain. In addition, if the cold air is dry, it can dry out some sinus membranes and cause a painful headache and make migraines even worse. People with fibromyalgia (a chronic pain syndrome) are especially at risk of experiencing headaches due to weather changes.
How to prevent or ease the pain:
A balanced diet, staying hydrated, stress management, and getting enough rest are all things that might help you ease or prevent headaches.
5. Relaxing after stress
Are you feeling fine from Monday to Friday despite your busy schedule, but on Saturday you wake up with a pounding headache? That’s because the tension you accumulated during the week subsides and the levels of stress hormones drop. This can lead to a rapid release of neurotransmitters that send impulses to blood vessels, ordering them to constrict and then dilate, which causes a headache.
How to prevent or ease the pain:
Try to avoid sleeping in during the weekend. 8 hours of sleep is more than enough for your body to rest properly, so oversleeping might lead to a headache.
Have any of these factors been the reason for your headache? What do you do to prevent them?
