Stress Headaches, also known as tension headaches, are the most common form of headache adults experience. Acute Stress Headaches can affect as many as 80% of the adult population in the United States, while 3% of the population experience chronic headaches.
While stress headache sufferers often report a clamp-like feel, the good thing is that stress headaches are rarely severe and can often be relieved by improving your health and reducing environmental stressors while focusing on mindfulness.
What Causes Stress Headaches
There are several reasons why someone may experience a stress headache. Just like the name suggests, stress headaches are often a result of a change in the norm. Some examples of stress can be:
- A new child
- Losing a job
- Financial problems
- Work-related concerns
- Significant weight gain or weight loss
- Emotional or mental stress
- Sleep deprivation
While it’s not always easy to remove yourself from stressors, here are five lifestyle changes that will help you get rid of your stress headaches for good.
1. Practice Mindfulness
Stress and anxiety are the main sources which lead to stress headaches. Mindfulness activities such as meditation and yoga help you focus on the now. Focusing on the “now” helps you to realize that you cannot change the past, nor can you predict the future. Your awareness of what is happening in the moment helps to calm your mind and relax your body.
2. Try to Laugh More
The saying, “Laughing is the best medicine,” is spot on when it comes to improving your overall mental health. Laughter can relax the body, strengthen your immune system, improve heart function, and give you an overall positive mood.
3. Create a Retreat
Sometimes, our immediate environment can be a source of stress. For example, screaming kids, multiple devices being played at the same time, or even the traffic outside your home can cause stress and anxiety levels to rise. House Method recommends creating a quiet space in your home where you can retreat when your headache is just too much. Be mindful of your space ensuring that the light-level is low, there are few distractions, and essential oils are diffusing to relieve your nerves.
4. Manage Your Vices
Some examples of vices are are smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and overeating. One rule of thumb that will help eliminate your stress headaches is, “focus on moderation.” While some vices such as smoking should be eliminated completely, others such as drinking alcohol and eating, when managed in moderation, can greatly improve your overall health and reduce or eliminate stress headaches.
5. Get More Sleep
We’ve all heard it before: you need your sleep. Sleep helps to regulate your body’s functions, process memories, emotions, and thoughts, and repair damage. While most adults fail to get the recommended seven-plus hours of sleep each night, without it you can suffer from significant stress and anxiety due to sleep deprivation. More sleep equals a better quality of life and fewer headaches.
Stress headaches may be a pain to deal with, but the good news is that by managing your health and eliminating the stressors in your life, you can quickly move on to live a higher quality of life and say goodbye to stress headaches.
The post How to Get Rid of Your Stress Headache for Good appeared first on Docotal.
