Whether you work from home or in an office, headaches are never welcome. Surprisingly, strong winds or even your bra could be giving you headaches. Here’s a fact you might not know — headaches can be inherited. This means that if one of your parents suffers from regular headaches, you might have a 50% greater chance of getting them as well.
Here at Bhaskar Health, we put together a list of little changes you can make while sitting at your desk, so you can avoid painful, throbbing headaches and enjoy your day.
1. Dim the lights.
Bright lights and glare can trigger headaches — you can avoid this by either turning some lights off or pulling the curtains on your window. If you can’t do this, try using sunglasses with or without polarized lenses.
2. Avoid strong scents.
Fragrances, cleaning products, or your colleagues’ strong perfume might result in a headache. To skip this, open the windows for a few minutes or use a fan to deflect the strong odor away from you.
3. Hydrate and don’t skip meals.
When you are dehydrated, because of fluid loss, your brain can contract, leading to headaches. To counteract this, grab a glass or 2 of water and take small sips. Pair this with a healthy, nutritious meal and say goodbye to your headache. If you are on-the-go, make sure you bring a water bottle and a sweet snack everywhere you go.
4. Ditch the chewing gum.
Surprisingly, this colorful, sweet, and sticky snack might be the reason you’re suffering. Chewing gum causes jaw tension and pressure on your most used joint. The best thing to do is ditch the chewing gum, as well as any other sticky, hard-to-chew foods.
5. Loosen up your hair.
If your hair is up in a tight ponytail or if you have some French or Dutch braids, give your hair a break — these can cause painful headaches. Let your hair down and allow your scalp to relax. Your headache will be gone in no-time.
6. Eat some ginger or brew yourself some ginger tea.
Ginger is known to provide pain relief. You can consume it in multiple forms — fresh or processed. If you’re in an office, the easiest way is to brew ginger tea. Bring some tea bags and keep them in your drawer for the next time you’ll need them.
7. Make sure you’re sitting in a comfortable position.
Whenever you’re sitting at your desk, make sure you’re comfortable. Try to sit straight, have your back supported, keep your arms parallel to your thighs, and keep your feet on the ground. Try to move your screen in a way that your eyes are looking straight ahead, not down. And last, but not least, don’t keep your phone between your head and shoulder when you’re on the phone. Invest in a headset or Bluetooth earbuds instead.
8. Introduce breathing exercises into your routine.
There are a few breathing exercises that you can use even while sitting at your desk. Close your eyes and maybe put on some relaxing music. Replace your fast inhales with slower ones — count to 5 as you inhale, then slowly count to 5 as you exhale. You will notice how your body relaxes and your headache might be obliged to leave the premises.
9. Quit eating cheese.
Cheese products contain tyramine, a natural-occurring substance. Choose soy cheese or cottage cheese over aged cheese like cheddar, parmesan, stilton. These are lower in tyramine and will reduce your headache episodes.
10. Apply a hot or cold compress.
When you’re at the office, improvise. Use a bag of ice from the company’s freezer and put it on your forehead. This will provide some relief instantly. If the cold compress doesn’t work, try a hot one by wetting a kitchen towel with some hot tap water.
11. Take a 15-minute power nap.
In a small medical study, 81% of participants reported that going to sleep was the most effective pain-relief strategy. When nothing else works, try to take a 15-minute nap. If you have more time, just use it and take a long catnap.
When was the last time you had a headache? How much time do you spend near your computer every day?
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