6 Common Headache Triggers and How to Avoid Them

You feel it coming on again. The headache that won’t leave you alone. The headaches are exhausting you, and you just want them to stop.

At ReGen Pain Management in Plano and Frisco, Texas, Dr. Jonathan Koning understands how you feel. We treat many patients who deal with pain stemming from headaches, and we’ve developed an effective protocol to head them off at the pass.

Here are 6 common headache triggers and how to avoid them:

1. Stress

Stress is one of the most common headache triggers. The tension you experience because of stress can cause the muscles in your neck and shoulders to tighten, resulting in pain and pressure in your head.

There are many management techniques to help reduce stress in your life, starting with meditation and deep breathing, practicing gratitude, making time to relax, exercising, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule.

2. Sleep changes

Speaking of sleep schedules, any changes in your sleep routine can make you more prone to a headache, because sleep renews and repairs your body. When that’s disrupted, your body notices.

To prevent this problem, go to bed and get up at the same time every day, aiming for at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Avoid your phone, TV, and other screens before bedtime, along with heavy food, and create a cool, quiet, dark sleeping environment.

3. What you’re drinking (or not drinking)

Caffeine and alcohol can heighten headache sensations (although caffeine can also help relieve headache symptoms), so be aware of how these substances affect you and have a plan for what to do if the symptoms are too much.

Dehydration is also a big trigger for headaches, so be sure to drink several full glasses of water each day. 

4. Certain foods

Some people are also very sensitive to certain foods that can trigger headaches. This includes processed meats, alcohol, foods with MSG, chocolate, and dairy products. 

If you can identify your specific food triggers, avoid them as much as possible. Try to eat balanced meals to keep your blood sugar steady, and keep a food journal to help you determine which foods actually do trigger you.

5. Hormones

Women are three times as likely as men to experience migraines, and 75% of women say they have headaches related to their periods.

You can avoid this trigger by tracking your headaches and hormones to look for correlations. You can also make changes to your lifestyle and diet to stabilize your hormone levels, and you may need to have a doctor check your levels to see if you need hormone replacement therapy.

6. Weather changes

Storms, intense heat, and changes in the barometric pressure are common triggers for headaches as well. We obviously can’t control the weather, so if the conditions seem right for a headache, adjust your schedule to stay indoors or complete your activities before it gets too hot outside.

If your headaches have become too much for you to handle alone, our expert team at ReGen Pain Management is here and ready to help. To schedule an appointment, call our location most convenient to you or book online today.