Treating and Preventing Headaches

Take a hot bath or shower to relax and ease sore muscles.

This is especially helpful for tension headaches and sinus headaches.

Take a walk outside.

Fresh air and increasing blood flow can go a long way to relieve a headache, especially if it removes you from common causes of a headache like strong smells or harsh lighting.

One of the most common causes of a headache is stress.

To help prevent a tension headache brought on by stress, try this simple therapeutic breathing exercise:

Sit or lie down comfortably and rest your hand on your stomach, just below your rib cage.

Breathe in slowly through your nose, focusing on your stomach expanding up and out as your lungs fill.

Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your stomach empty and fall.

Repeat 10 to 20 times, as needed.

Inconsistent sleep patterns can lead to stress, fatigue, and anxiety— all common cause of headaches. If you feel you aren't getting enough sleep, try changing your pillows, sleep positions, or the side of the bed you sleep on!

A key way to prevent headaches is to find out which triggers affect you.

Keep a running list of when your headaches occur along with what happened in the hours before onset. Some important questions to ask when considering how to prevent a headache include:

• Did you eat? What was it and at what time?

• Were you inside or outside? Bright or fluorescent light are a common migraine trigger.

• Were there any strong smells, perfumes, or odors?