Sometimes headaches aren’t related to serious illnesses, but are caused by some lifestyle choices. Headaches can be taken care of with analgesics, but these don’t really deal with the underlying cause of the problem. If you have headaches frequently and you don’t know why, it might be due to some of your day to day habits.
Here are some common causes of headaches.
1. Dehydration
Dehydration causes water loss in tissues in your brain. This leads to shrinkage, activating pain receptors that will give you a headache. Low water levels also reduce blood volume, which will reduce the amount of oxygen, that your brain is getting. Drinking water as often as possible will help you prevent headaches.
2. Computer vision syndrome
Staring at a flickering screen for long periods of time can cause problems with vision which might lead to headaches. This is known as computer vision syndrome and it occurs because the eye is closely connected to the brain. You can fix this by buying an anti-glare screen protector. You can also try taking a break after using the computer for more than an hour.
3. Eating tyramine-rich foods
Tyramine is a substance that can be sourced from foods like cheese, meat and smoked fish. This substance causes your brain cells to release a neurotransmitter called nor-epinephrine. Increased nor-epinephrine levels are associated with headaches.
4. Strong scents
Sensitivity to some scents can cause headaches. Some odors can cause capillaries to dilate, causing increased blood flow and stimulation in the nerves associated with pain in the head region. Sometimes, headaches might be as a result of allergic reactions to some scents.
5. Drinking too much coffee
For people who are addicted to coffee, caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches. If you want to wean yourself off it, do it slowly to avoid severe symptoms.
6. Oversleeping
Sleeping for too long can throw off your circadian rhythm and cause fluctuations in your hormone levels, especially serotonin. Sleep lowers your serotonin levels. Deficiency in serotonin has been linked to increased occurrence of migraines.
7. Your hairstyle
Headaches due to hairstyles are especially common in females. Pulling the hair back tightly in a bun or ponytail, can make you susceptible to painful headaches.
You should know that frequently occurring and intensely painful headaches should be reported to the doctor. It might be a symptom of a more significant problem.
Image courtesy of: northyorkclinic.com.
