Some pain you can distance yourself from, but a headache sits right where you live.
– Mark Lawrence
How true is that, resonate with it completely.
Let us explore a few ways to manage stress headaches.
In different phases of life we may have dealt with different types of them. Many of us do suffer from headaches triggered by stressful thoughts or physical conditions.
Knowing the cause and nature of the headache is the first step to finding a solution.
Stress headache involves both sides of the head and generally feel like a tightness in the forehead or the back of the head. Because stress headaches are tension headaches they can be avoided or minimised using effective technique and ways.
*Focussing on basics- Managing sleep issues if any, skipping or untimely meals, arguments with family members or colleagues or working overtime. Making sure to pace yourself will help in avoiding stress headaches.
*Reducing Social Media engagement time- Limiting the time spend looking down at your phone or ipads, gaming even laptops may help. If you absolutely need to work take inbetween breaks from long screen time.
*Relaxation techniques help in reducing stress or tension headaches- Physical and psychological relaxation therapies can help in alleviationg tension headaches, provided you practice these techniques regularly. Physical techniques can be applying a heating pad to your neck and shoulders to relax the muscles. Exercising neck muscles also helps by strengthening and stretching them. Guided imagery exercises or RRT/ Rapid Relaxation Techniques or PRT/ Progressive Relaxation techniques may help hugely.
*Dehydration – It contributes to stress headaches, but it can be easily avoided by taking a glass of water every hour.
Keep in mind that as there are drinks that can reduce headaches, there are those which can trigger them also.
Drinking too much coffee or too many caffeine-filled soft drinks due to stress can lead to headaches too. Try replacing your coffee mixtures of half caffeinated and half decaffeinated concotion and aerated drink with lime or coconut-water.
Hope these are helpful.
Take care & have a wonderful day.
Reenu