Headaches are not fun. They come at the wrong moment and last a long time. They’re painful, annoying and get worse with noise, daily frustrations and tiredness. They’re even worse if a headache progresses into a splintering migraine. Preventing headaches and migraines can be as simple as getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, but if you’re getting them very often, you might need to change more about your lifestyle.
As one of the most common health problems in the world, headaches can make a bad day worse. Here are six quick tips on how to prevent headaches and migraines!
1. Drink in Moderation
It’s no secret that drinking too much will lead to a hangover the next morning (a really, really bad headache!). But drinking too much of drinks such as soda, coffee and energy drinks can also cause a headache. These types of drinks, especially alcohol, dehydrate the body. A dehydrated body and brain doesn’t function well – so drink less of the bad stuff and drink more water to stay healthy.
2. Take a Break from Technology
Staring at a screen for too long strains the eyes. Strained eyes can lead to causing not just headaches, but really bad migraines because of the stress placed on your eyes and brain to process all the information on the screen. Every 30-45 minutes or so, take a break. Fill up on water, go to the toilet or stretch; let your eyes and mind relax for a bit before going back at the task at hand.
3. Allergies?
Keep track of what you eat. If you get headaches after eating certain foods, try to avoid them as much as you can. Many people have food triggers because of the ingredients in the food or sometimes even the smell can be a trigger. Remove the foods you think are causing the problem and see if you notice a difference.
4. Switch Up Your Diet
Changing the way you eat can not only help to prevent headaches and migraines, but will lead to overall health improvements throughout your body. Eating processed food that is high in processed fat, sugar or salt can make getting headaches more likely. Cut out the junk food and switch to nutritious fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods such as whole grains and lean protein. Some studies have also found that food high in magnesium (such as lentils/spinach/nuts and seeds) can help prevent headaches.
5. Cut the Stress
One reason why many people regularly get headaches is because of too much stress in their life. Pressure from work, school or from home can bring on anxiety, and make us unhappy. Organize your time, worry less about what you can’t control, talk to friends or family, socialize more, and look into finding ways to de-stress. De-stressing can involve going for a run, going to the gym, hanging out with friends and playing video games or relaxing with a good book. To get more advice on this topic, check out Desmond’s article on how to relax more and worry less.
6. Massage the Eyes
Our eyes are busy throughout the day and late into the night. As said earlier in this article, when our eyes are tired it has an effect on our brain. Relaxing the eyes and taking breaks helps considerably; but have you ever thought about massaging the eyes and area? Naipo’s Wireless Eye Massager is one way to get a relaxing eye massage and say good-bye to pesky headaches. Because it’s wireless, it can be used anywhere at home or at work. The eye massager is able to apply both heat and air pressure to improve blood circulation, and it’s built-in with a speaker containing pre-recorded nature sounds – so it’s a perfect sleeping companion.
