Tension headaches are common in today’s high stress environment. These headaches are debilitating and can be painful. They usually cause a dull, tight feeling in the temples, back, neck, and shoulders. These headaches can be very painful, but they are not dangerous and can be treated naturally. Many sufferers resort to over-the-counter medication to relieve the pain. However, this only addresses the symptoms and not the root cause. These are five steps that you can take to prevent these painful events from ever happening. You can do them all right at your desk.
Take a Break
Most of us work all day, every night, without taking the time to take a break and check in with our mental and physical health. Excess stress and tension can build up in our bodies, causing muscle tightness, most commonly in the neck or face. Sometimes we don’t realize we are stressed until it’s too late and we are suffering. It is possible to avoid tension headaches or at least prevent them from getting worse.
If you feel a headache coming on immediately, talk to your doctor. Focus on the areas of tension in your body by closing your eyes. Your jaw, shoulders and face are the most common places to hold tension. Are your forehead wrinkles visible? Are your teeth clenched? Maybe your shoulders are strained. Focus on each part of your body and notice if it is tight.
What to do?
Take a deep inhale and let go of all your stress and frustrations. You will notice a difference in how your body feels when your muscles relax. Continue doing this until you feel no tension. While this will not completely relieve your headache, it will teach your body to let go any stress or emotions that are holding you back. This will prevent the headache from ever forming. This can be done throughout the day to reduce muscle tension and prevent it from recurring. Sitting at a desk all day is a sign that you aren’t sitting correctly and you need to adjust your workstation.
Your feet should be flat on the ground and your back against the backrest of your chair. Your knees should be bent at 90 degrees, as should your arms as you reach for the keyboard. Do not hunch forward or lean forward towards the computer screen. If your shoulders are sagging forward, lift your chest and push your shoulders back. This will increase blood flow to your brain.
Great Tips
Standing for long periods of time, keep your knees bent and your feet shoulder width apart. Your weight should be distributed towards the balls of your feet and not the heels. Don’t slouch your shoulders and let your arms hang naturally. You must be aware of your posture whether you are sitting, standing, or lying down throughout the day. It is easy to get into a good position and then fall back as the day progresses.
Tension headaches can be prevented by proper muscle alignment and proper circulation. When it comes to relaxing, the eyes are often neglected. If you stare at a computer screen for hours, read long hours, or drive long distances, your eyes are likely to become fatigued. However, it is possible to avoid headaches from straining your eye muscles. Here are some exercises that can help you relax and soothe your eyes. It’s a good idea “warm up” your eyes before you start any eye-exercise. You can do this by rubbing your hands together and gently placing them over your closed eyes.
Take a few deep, slow breaths and let your body relax. Feel the warmth in your eyes and the darkness it creates. You can rest your eyes by looking away if you are focusing on a task that is too close for long periods of time, such as a book or computer. Focus for 30 seconds on a object that is approximately 10-20 feet away. Next, focus your attention on something closer for 15 seconds. Continue this process several times until your eyes adjust more easily. Focus on the object in front of your eyes.
Slowly move your eyes from left to right, focusing on the object in front of you. It should feel great to feel your eye muscles relax. For 10 seconds, hold this position and then slowly return your attention to the center object. Do the same thing on the left. Do the same thing on the left, but this time move your eyes up-and-down. Next, try it on diagonals.
You can end the exercise by rolling your eyes around in circles, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.
Relaxation
When tension headaches strike, most people are unable to just get up and head to the spa. If that were true, we wouldn’t be so stressed in the first place. Instead of getting a professional massage, massage your neck, shoulders, and face yourself. Begin at the temples and gently massage these areas with two fingers in a circular motion.
Do not push too hard. It should feel good and not cause pain. Do the same circular massage on your jaw, neck, and eyes. When you do this, make sure to relax the rest of your body and take deep breaths. Next, use the opposite arm to massage one shoulder at time. Be gentle and use circular motions.
Conclusion
Following these steps will make your body feel more relaxed. Any neck or head pain should gradually recede. These steps are not only for headache relief, but they can also be used to prevent future headaches from happening. Tension headaches are a description of the exact nature and cause of tension headaches. Pay attention to the changes in your body that stress causes. These exercises will become easier as you continue to practice them. Soon, you will be living a more peaceful, pain-free lifestyle.
