Everyone has experienced headaches. The most well-known technique is to drink a lot of water. Be that as it may, this doesn’t always seem to be effective.

Girl taking tablet for headache

A headache can be a symptom of stress or emotional distress, or it can result from a medical condition, such as a migraine, high blood pressure, anxiety or depression. People with chronic migraine headaches find it difficult to even attend work or school regularly. 

Usually, people who suffer from headaches regularly use two methods to manage this:

1.To stop a headache they have right now

2. Prevent a headache from occurring in the future.

While the second is a harder task, you can always take measures to prevent the severity and span of headaches. 

Here are some preventive measures you can take to reduce those triggers. 

Keep a headache diary. This helps you track the following:

  • Specific food which triggers headaches
  • How long headaches sustain?
  • Nature of pain
  • How Intense?
  • Site of headaches
  • Medications
  • Sleep duration
  • Taxing Activity
  • Elevated stress 

Avoid these foods to manage your frequently occurring headaches:

Numerous foods and ingredients can trigger headaches. Common triggers include alcohol, peanuts, nuts, cheese, salty foods, processed meat, foods which contain MSG (monosodium glutamate) and chocolate. Avoid these foods and jot down other specific foods in your diary that are causing problems and this would help you prevent headaches in future. 

Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet with the right amount of nutrients makes a big difference.  Include low-fat milk, fatty fish such as (salmon & tuna), muskmelon, cherries and beans. Foods rich in magnesium help in getting relief from a migraine (bananas, dried apricots, avocados, almonds, cashews and brown rice). 

 Get plenty of sleep

Regular sleep schedule helps in developing a sound sleep pattern. Most importantly, stay with a consistent sleep schedule, even on holidays and weekends to avoid unusual headaches.

Stretch, Relax and Breathe

Fast-paced life takes a toll on your health and makes you stressed. This is one of the most common triggers for headaches. To help get rid of them, follow these tips: 

Do yoga

Yoga makes your mind focused, stretches muscles and makes you move tension free. Practice a few moves when the pain starts, but the best thing is to follow a regular schedule every day to prevent headaches before they happen. 

Take Deep Breaths

 We all think we are breathing right, but if your head is pounding you’re not getting enough oxygen. When a headache strikes, take a deep breath and try to slow down you breathe by taking long and unhurried breaths. Count slowly from one to five as you inhale and then count slowly to five as you exhale. Let your body naturally relax as you exhale. 

Start exercising

Aerobic exercise has shown a marked result in reducing headaches and promoting a general sense of well-being. Even a walk for 15 to 20 minutes a day, at a brisk pace can benefit you.