Things have become a little more stressful in recent weeks, and all this stress and anxiety can lead to physical problems in your body. One of the more common conditions that can develop as a result of added stress and anxiety are tension headaches. Stress is one of the leading factors in the onset of tension headaches, so it’s important to manage your mental health during particularly stressful times to avoid adding a tension headache to the list of things you have to deal with.

In today’s blog, we take a closer look at these stress-induced headaches and share some tips for preventing and treating them.

Preventing Tension Headache Triggers

Tension headaches tend to develop as a result of muscle tension in your head or neck, and stress can actually cause muscles in these areas to contract. So if you’re dealing with a lot of stress, you may unknowingly be physically stressing key neck muscles, and these movements can induce a headache. In order to prevent these headaches, you’ll want to help eliminate some stress from your life.

Obviously everyone deals with stress in their own way, and everyone is dealing with different things in their life. Collectively, we’re in a pretty stressful time amid the coronavirus outbreak, so stress levels across America tend to be higher than normal right now. We can’t guarantee that the following tips will work for you, but they are a good general list of ways you can work to reduce stress and prevent the onset of tension headaches. Those tips include:

Daily exercise – Exercise helps to get blood flowing throughout your body, which helps muscle groups perform optimally. Exercise can also help distract us from some of the stress-inducing areas of our life, which can help to alleviate headaches. Just be sure to warm up slowly, as intense physical exertion without a proper warm up can actually trigger a headache.

Healthy Sleep – Try to get plenty of healthy sleep if you’re dealing with more stress. Go to bed at a regular time, make the room as dark as possible and eliminate distractions like your cell phone or a television. Make it easier for your body to get a good night’s sleep, because lack of quality sleep can lead to the release of stress hormones.

Eating Right – A healthy diet can also help reduce stress. A healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables can give you more energy to get through the day, which can help you stay motivated to reduce stress. Poor eating habits can lead to weight gain and inhibit the desire to perform other healthy activities, like exercise.

Talking – Social distancing does not mean we need to remain socially isolated. Talk with friends or family members on a regular basis, and you’ll find that your stress levels are lower. That being said, make sure you keep the conversation light, or at least avoid dwelling on negative topics. There are healthy ways to talk about your anxiety and stress, but make sure these topics aren’t the sole focus of your conversations with others.

Plan – Finally, although try to plan ahead for what’s to come. You can’t prepare for every scenario, but try to think ahead so you aren’t caught off guard. Planning for potential outcomes can help reduce stress and anxiety when those possibilities occur. Control what you can control, and you’ll notice your stress levels decreasing.

For more tips on how to manage stress and prevent tension headaches, or for help with your headache-related issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.