Headaches Caused by Healthy Habits
By Sara Butler
Headaches can be a very frustrating experience, popping up at the most inconvenient times. They can be caused by a lot of things, such as dehydration, stress, and tension. People often want to blame headaches on things they’re doing that aren’t healthy, but healthy behaviors can be to blame as well. Here are a few healthy habits that can cause headache pain.
Sleeping In
Lounging around in bed on a lazy Sunday afternoon sounds like heaven to a lot of people, but alternating high-stress days in which you miss out on sleep with days where you lounge around all day to help catch up on rest can trigger hormonal changes that can cause headaches. The hormone level changes cause the blood vessels in the body to constrict and dilate, a headache can be triggered.
It’s tempting to sleep in, but your body will be far better off if you go to bed and wake up at about the same time each day. If you are short on sleep, then a power nap can work wonders.
Quitting Caffeine
If you’ve decided to take the leap and cut out caffeine, then it can cause some terrible headaches as your body goes through withdraws, especially if you are determined to quit cold turkey. Headaches tend to hit about 12 to 24 hours after your last dose of caffeine. The more caffeine your body is used to, the more severe the headaches can be.
To avoid these types of headaches, then slowly wean yourself off of caffeine by reducing your consumption over time. This allows your body to adjust and may help to keep headaches at bay.
Packing Lunch
Making sure you have a nutritious lunch to help you watch what you’re eating is a great idea, but you may be getting more than you bargained for. If you love lunch meat, then you may want to reconsider because it’s full of sodium and preservatives, including nitrates – and nitrates can be a headache trigger. Processed meats in generals can trigger headaches, so make sure you watch what you’re eating and check the ingredients to avoid foods with ingredients that can trigger your headaches. Try to eat freshly roasted meats instead of packaged slices.
It's not just unhealthy habits that have side effects -- it's healthy habits too. Know what to look for so you can stop headaches before they start if these habits are a headache trigger for you.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Englewood, Colo.