10 Surprising Headache Triggers
All those mind bursting, earth shattering, strikingly painful headaches can be a real misery. How often have you popped a pill in hopes of gaining the minutest amount of relief from these menacing aches? Ever wondered what could be your possible headache triggers?
Headache triggers tend to vary from one person to another, but the good news is they can be prevented! For now, how about you consider the following headache triggers list and headache causes and see what counts as your ticking factor leading to this monstrous hit!
Your Waistline! – There Is No Need To Laugh!
Research has documented for obesity, even slight obesity, to be one of the most common headache triggers, especially in Americans. Studies suggest that those individuals with a higher BMI are at more of a risk of experiencing frequent severe headaches than those with a lower BMI. Individuals who suffer at the hands of severe obesity are at an 80% increased risk of experiencing headaches!
Solution: Watch your weight and make sure you eat healthy as a preventative measure of avoiding these nasty soaring aches!
Working Late Night Hours! – Nocturnal Problems!
In the highly competitive world of today, if we take anything seriously, it has to be our job. In today’s race of wanting to be ahead of it all with the survival of the fittest reigning supreme, work is what the chant is all about. It is a very well-known fact that stress is one of the biggest contributors of headaches, especially the tension infested kind. Stressful work environments, a demanding set of workload and the presence of conflict in the workplace are a few of the most common job-related headache triggers to date.
Solution: If your job is being a pain in the head, it is time you considered ditching it or maybe toning it down a notch, just enough to rest your head in peace at least!
The Weather – Who Would Have Thought?
With headaches being one of the biggest complaints regarding health matters recently, research has been on a high roll for a while on this particular subject! Studies have shown for there to be a rather high correlation between warm weather and headaches! The sad part is, even though we have this headache trigger identified and ready for burial, there is little that can be done about changing the weather! But that doesn’t mean you don’t kick this headache trigger right where it hurts and take preventative measures right?
Solution: Steer clear from the sun and heat as much as possible, eat foods that are designed to cool your system, load up on jug-fuls of water and try staying indoors as much as you can, and you can bid these headaches farewell!
Strong Scents – Go Easy On That Perfume!
For a lot of people powerful scents and smells can be a major headache trigger. Our sense of smell happens to be very sensitive, and most people find the smell of paints, solvents, spicy scented perfumes, dust and even some flowers to be the causes of excruciating headaches!
Solution: It is not possible for us to walk around smelling everything in an attempt to point out what smell exactly is triggering our headaches, but once you have it down, the root cause can easily be eliminated with mere avoidance!
‘Pretty’ Hair Accessories – Vanity Strikes Back!
Hair adorned with accessories may look very classy and funky at the same time, but tight clips and high pony tails can be quite the pain. These urban legends about life threatening hairdos may not all be mere legends after all! However, calling them life threatening would be quite the exaggerated over statement, so let’s just stick with painful!
Solution: Tying the hair in a tight manner can cause strain on the connective tissue of the scalp, causing headaches. If tied hair seems to be a headache trigger for you, avoid tying it in tight knots for long periods of time and try keeping them tied loosely if you must!
Hard Core Physical Activity – When Your Workout Gets To Your Head!
Exercising or any kind of physical activity, including sex, that requires some kind of physical exertion can be a very likely headache trigger! Such kind of intense physical activity calls for blood in the neck and the head to accumulate, which in turn builds up the pressure in the blood vessels, possibly leading to headaches
Solution: If you experience headaches after your workout sessions, try to tone them down in intensity and workout for shorter periods with substantial breaks and intervals!
Senseless Smoking – Its About Time You Quit!
When you are making your list of reasons to quit smoking, be sure to add ‘headache trigger’ somewhere in there! Research has documented for nicotine to narrow down the blood vessels, leading to emergence of migraines. Furthermore, smoking can stimulate some nervesin the throat, which may consequently lead to headaches! Even passive smoking can cause severe headaches!
Solution: Do yourself and your loved ones a favor, and ditch the cancer stick ASAP and free yourself of a headache trigger too in the process!
Improper Posture – Back’s Straight Please!
Muscular problems in the neck and the head are a major headache trigger most of us have experienced and are very much aware of! Staring at a computer screen that is too high or too low, a chair with no proper back rest, squishing the phone between the ear and the shoulder with the head tilted in an uncomfortable form and even hunching the shoulders are all examples of poor postures, contributing to headaches!
Solution: Keep your back erect, head held up high and try avoiding sitting in a hunch back position. This could provide solace from that headache trigger.
Keep Hydrated – Another Reason To Cherish Water!
As you can probably tell, there are several head ache triggers! However, one of the most common and primary reasons to this dilemma is lack of water, that is, dehydration.
Solution: Consuming an adequate amount of water will not only keep your body clean but also work towards relieving headaches and feelings of tiredness.
Sleepless Nights – Get Some Quality Shut-Eye!
Insufficient sleep can be a major headache trigger! Even though some may claim they can function to their fullest potential on minimal sleep, there is definitely a lagging between those who sleep a few hours a night and those who get a sufficient amount of peaceful uninterrupted slumber, in the way they take up daily tasks and activities. Those who do not get their adequate hours of sleep each night, may suffer greatly at the hands of headaches, feelings of tiredness and fatigue!
Solution: So yes if your head is aching due to lack of sleep, its time you drew your curtains, shut those lights, put your covers over your head and slept like a baby!
