Headache Day!

        The most common phrase I hear on a day to day basis from my Mama is “I have a headache”, hopefully not ALL of it has to do with putting up with me :). A headache, or as I like to say “the reason not to ask Mom for anything today” is a common symptom in both Men and Women- but mostly in Women. It is a built up of many components such as stress, certain foods/smells, lack of sleep, bad posture and smoking.

Stress derives from many circumstances like a tough day at work, overbooking, personal problems, or as I have learned, your teenager. Headaches that come from stress are called tension headaches. They can be a build up of stress or a migraine (in which the brain releases chemicals that can alter blood vessel dilation). Different foods and smells can trigger different people, so it is your responsibility to realize which might trigger you to have a headache, and avoid them all together. It is very important to get 8 hours of sleep daily.

If you have fast paced life like my parents, it is completely understandable that this is hard to achieve. Working out a steady deadline to get things done daily can help ensure you will have enough hours of sleep. Most jobs in a developed country involves the usage of computers, in fact right now you are probably reading this on some sort of electronic device. Look at your posture right now, posture can easily affect your headaches. Slouching, staring at a screen that is too low or too high, a chair with bad lumbar support, all add up putting pressure on your head and neck muscles- this causes your headache. Once in a while, if you have been sitting for too long get up and stretch.

Another great reason for one not to smoke is because of the amounts of Nicotine that are contain in cigarettes, it causes blood vessels in the brain to narrow, allowing for little oxygen to pass through. The cause of headaches is another reason why smoking is a big NO NO!

Some solutions to free headaches include:

• Meditation/ breathing exercises (try Tai Chi)
• Drinking lots of water (keep hydrated)
• Getting enough hours of sleep (about 8)
• Good Nutrition
• A couple of ours to yourself, and to yourself only!
• Watch movies at home not at the theatre- this comes from personal experience. Many perfumes and flashing lights = Mom with a headache.

I hope this blog will help you avoid or treat your headache symptoms so you can enjoy life to its fullest :). Luckily, today wasn’t a “headache day” for my Mama, I got new ear rings ;).