Millions of people suffer from headaches on an acute or chronic basis. Whichever one you may have to deal with, it’s great to know what triggers your condition. That way, you can either avoid them or at least take some preemptive action to lessen your discomfort. While you might have heard of a few common triggers, others might surprise you.
15 headache triggers
Most of the time, headaches happen for obvious reasons like stress or being around loud noises, but what about those headaches that seem to sneak up on you out of nowhere? Well, here are a few reasons for those mystery headaches and what you can do about them.
1. Jumping Straight Into Your Workout
Warming up before your workout doesn’t just help to protect your muscles, it also gives your brain an opportunity to adjust to rising adrenaline levels. Avoid headaches by taking a short five or 10 minutes to stretch or walk before doing more intense exercise.
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2. Your Workouts Are Too Much For You
Once you begin that intense workout, it is important to know your limits. Exercise is healthy but overworking your body can have the opposite effect. It’s particularly likely that you’ll have tension headaches. If this happens, you should talk to your doctor about it and see how you can modify your exercise routine.
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3. You Have the Day Off
Who doesn’t love sleeping in late on a Saturday or having a three-day weekend? It feels good, but the change in routine could cause headaches. This is especially common if your body is accustomed to getting a caffeine jolt every morning and you disturb that groove. Even on your downtime, try to keep your sleep schedule as close to normal to feel more rested and in your right mind.
4. You’re Not Sleeping Well
There’s no doubt that sleeping well helps your body function better. When people have a problem sleeping, they are most at risk for developing cluster headaches and other rare conditions. If you can’t get a good night’s sleep, talk to your doctor about your options.
5. Your Weight
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that obese people experience frequent headaches nearly two times more than adults at a healthy weight. Shed the excess pounds with changes in diet and exercise.
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6. You’re Eating The Wrong Things
Certain foods have been shown to spark a headache more than others. Processed meats like cold cuts, red wine, cheese, and caffeinated drinks are some of the likely culprits. It’s best to cut down on how often you include these foods in your diet or don’t eat them at all.
7. Chewing Gum
The repetitive motion of chewing could cause a headache, but more surprisingly, a key ingredient could be the cause