Having a headache can ruin the rest of your day. Unfortunately, they’re very easily triggered. Below we list 5 things that might have caused your headache, so you can try to avoid them in the future:
1. Pent up anger
Anger can cause a tension headache, which feels like a tight band around your head. This is because being angry causes the muscles in your scalp and neck to tense up. To avoid this, try breathing slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth, when you start feeling angry. If you can manage to relax those muscles, you’ll normally skip the headache.
2. Poor posture
We’re all guilty of not sitting up straight, but we don’t tend to assume that poor posture may be the cause of our headaches. If you slouch, you’ll become tense in the shoulders, neck and back, leading to pain in the base of the skull. It’s best to avoid staying in the same position for long periods and make sure to support your lower back.
3. Bright lights
With technology being at the centre of life today, it’s hard to avoid the bright glare of a screen. However, this is a very common cause of migraines. You might want to consider investing in some polarised lenses, which can help reduce glare. There are also settings you can change on a device, such as lowering the brightness.
4. Grinding teeth
Many people suffer from bruxism, meaning they are susceptible to grinding their teeth at night. When your jaw muscles are contracting too much, you’ll often experience a dull headache. Avoiding this type of headache comes from fixing the initial problem, so we recommend you see a dentist and get a mouth guard fitted.
5. Certain foods
Unfortunately, some of your favourite foods could be the cause of your headaches, especially if they contain certain chemicals. Common culprits are fizzy drinks, aged cheeses and processed meats. It’s often useful to keep a diary of your headaches and what you’ve eaten that day, so you can draw some connections.
If you’re looking for headache treatment, don’t hesitate to contact Melville Wellness for guidance.
