Isn’t it horrible to walk or do your daily activities with a pulsing sensation on your head? Having headaches can drastically lower the quality of life regarding comfort, work schedules, and family events. We all want a good way to reduce them, but some of us are not too keen on taking medication and would rather take a more natural approach. Then, look no further.
These are seven ways you are able to reduce headaches.
1. Exercise
Doing regular physical activity is an efficient way to reduce or prevent headaches. When do a workout routine, our body releases endorphins, chemical compounds that block our pain sensors. This is because endorphins are natural analgesics that can diminish or eliminate headaches. Additionally, performing any moderate-intensity physical activity, such as jogging, riding a bicycle or swimming helps reduce the production of stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline. Thus, it will help you relax and reduce stress, one of the most frequent causes of headaches and migraines. A study showed that doing regular cardiovascular exercise alleviated recurrent headaches and migraines in more than of the patients.
2. Hydrate Adequately
Dehydration is another common trigger for headaches and migraines. Dehydration refers to the loss of water and certain electrolytes, like sodium and potassium. This causes a shift in the chemical balance in our bloodstream, to which our brain and nerves are very receptive, and finally cause a headache. Even more, when we do not drink enough water, there is less fluid circulating in our body and our blood vessels dilate to compensate it. The temporary constriction can apply pressure on nearby nerves, including on our head, and produce tension headaches. Thus, you must drink enough water to reduce thirst. If your urine is light yellow or cleat, it means you are properly hydrated.
3. Drink Coffee
Have you ever woken up feeling beat up and a cup of coffee was just what you needed to turn your day around? Well, coffee is a rather amusing choice because it can help reduce headaches, but in some cases, it aggravates them. As we know, coffee contains caffeine, a chemical substance that reduces inflammation and has a boosting effect on common analgesics. So, if you take acetaminophen or ibuprofen, they will work faster when combined with caffeine. However, when your body adapts to the amount of caffeine you consume, it can produce withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, when you stop drinking it, even for one day. Thus, drinking coffee can potentially relieve recurrent headaches.
4. Take a Well-Rested Sleep
Sleeping at least 7 to 8 hours a day will help your body revitalized, be ready for your next day, and it could even alleviate headaches. When we sleep, our body is a much less active state, which allows our brain to eliminate all residue and metabolites in our bloodstream that may trigger headaches. Also, take into consideration that sleep relaxes our muscles and we know how tension and stress are key factors in triggering headaches. For this reason, taking adequate sleep can relieve your body from stress and cleanse our blood that will help have less migraines.
5. Magnesium Intake
If you suffer from recurrent and severe headaches or migraines, it could be due to a lack of magnesium in your diet. It is a mineral necessary for many functions in our body, such as bone strength, boosts the immune system, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and supports our nerves and muscles. However, studies have shown that having low magnesium levels are associated with headaches. Magnesium helps reduce the release of glutamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates our brain’s excitability. If our brain is too excitable, it leads to headaches and recurrent episodes. This is why you consuming magnesium-rich food products like spinach, chard, almonds, and walnuts will reduce the likelihood of suffering from headaches.
6. Reduce Alcohol
It is accurate to say that alcohol as been adopted in our culture and it is not going anywhere. Whether you are going to a restaurant or visiting an old friend, it is very likely to offer you a beer or a glass of wine to relax. But, drinking alcohol can lead to certain health hazards, such as liver disease, high blood pressure, and headaches. Research shows that alcoholic beverages contain a radical known as a phenolic flavonoid, which interferes with serotonin, a “feel-good” hormone. When levels of serotonin are low, it can lead to depression, mood swings, and headaches. So it might be a good excuse to moderate your alcohol consumption and give your head a break once in a while.
7. Strengthen your Neck
You may have noticed that after a long day working or being hunched back while on a computer, it produces tension in your neck. When your neck is tensed, it can irritate the nerves connected to your head and cause headaches. Therefore, it is a good approach to strengthen your neck muscles by fixing your posture and doing daily exercise to prevent stress on your neck and reduce headaches.
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Source: hiyahealthy.com