Finding The Best Way To Cope With Stress Headaches

Quite a few people suffer from stress headaches, making it one of the most common health complaints of all. When you get such a headache, your first concern of course is to find relief as fast as possible. If you only get headaches occasionally, you might just take a painkiller, but if you get them frequently you should really discover why this is happening. The information we'll be covering in this article will help you better understand and treat stress headaches. 

A wonderful stress headache reliever is a gentle face and scalp massage. It's great if you have someone who can do this for you. Nonetheless, it isn't hard to massage your scalp and face yourself. Massage your fingers into your scalp using a kneading motion. Midway between the outside edge of your eyebrows and your hairline, is your temple area. Gentle rub this area. While you're doing this, take a few deep breaths and relax Notice any tight areas in your jawline or face and consciously relax the tension. There are also inexpensive scalp massagers that you can buy that can help you relax. Even though this scalp and face massage is a great way to get rid of a stress induced headache, it's a good idea to do this type of massage even when no headache is present. 

You may feel tension headaches all the time if you don't sleep enough. Most people will have these headaches habitually if they do not get enough sleep. You may feel that you are used to not sleeping a lot, and because of this, you may not think that sleep deprivation is the underlying problem. If you get stress headaches regularly, obviously a lack of sleep on your part may be the problem. Maybe you surf the Internet too much, or watch too much TV. Instead, get to bed at an earlier time. Getting a nap during the day is also a great way to fix your lack of sleep problem. By sleeping more, you may find that your stress headaches may go away. 

Since stress headaches are, by definition, caused by stress and tension, the best way to prevent them is to avoid the triggers that create this stress It might be difficult at times to do this. It's to your benefit, however, and preferable to another stress headache. High blood pressure is but one health condition that can result if you suffer from chronic stress. You can develop positive techniques to handle the most stressful situations that lead to stress headaches. When you identify what is causing your stress, you may find that you can dodge the responsible event entirely. If not, you can still make up your mind that you're not going to let it get to you, whether it's traffic, your boss or the evening news. In this report, we've talked about some easy steps you can take to control the stress in your life and the resultant stress headaches it brings. Nonetheless, it's important to find out what's behind your stress headaches if they happen frequently or are very strong. Your health care practitioner is the one who can help you with this. In order to eliminate stress headaches, however, you are the only one who can pinpoint what areas of your life are causing you stress. This is the best way of getting rid of these headaches once and for all.

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27 EASY WAYS TO SLEEP BETTER TONIGHT

The average person spends more than one third of his/her life asleep. But don’t be fooled — just because the body is sleeping doesn’t mean it’s slacking off. During sleep, the body repairs itself so that when the alarm clock goes off, our bodies are renewed and refreshed. Tossing and turning all night can affect judgment, productivity, and the ability to retain information the next day. Over time, it can contribute to obesity, diabetes, and — of course — a chronic bad attitude. (Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?) So whether or not you're a morning person, check out our list on how to sleep better tonight — and thank us in the morning. Disclaimer: While factors like stress or big life changes can bring on a few sleepless nights, prolonged trouble sleeping could be a sign of another issue like depression or a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. If these are worries, schedule a doctor’s visit to get things checked out. A medical professional might suggest a hormone test or another kind of evaluation to make sure everything’s okay. 1. Establish a bedtime routine. This lets the body know it’s time to unwind from the day’s stress and chill. Figure out a schedule and stick to it every night of the week — even weekends! 2. Journal. Thinking about or doing stressful activities can cause the body to release stress hormones, leading to alertness. But writing out stressful thoughts in a journal can help us avoid restlessness once we hit the sheets. Studies suggest certain types of journaling allow us to focus on the positive instead of the negative aspects of our day [1]. 3. Munch on magnesium. Research suggests magnesium plays a key role in our ability to sleep through the night [2]. Try chowing on magnesium-rich foods such as pumpkin seeds, spinach, and swiss chard [3]. Or pop a ZMA supplement, another form of magnesium, about half an hour before bedtime. 4. Try a cup of chamomile tea. This herbal drink can reduce anxiety that might make it more difficult to fall asleep [4]. 5. Exercise regularly. Studies suggest some aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety and improve quality of sleep in people who suffer from insomnia [5]. 6. Work out earlier in the day. While exercise can help improve sleep quality, it’s important to schedule workouts that end at least two hours before hitting the hay so that post-workout adrenaline boost doesn’t keep you up. 7. Take a power nap during the day. Ten to 30 minutes in the mid-afternoon is best to ensure a good night’s sleep. Any longer and we risk falling into deeper stages of sleep, which can leave us feeling groggy when we wake up. 8. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep. While many of us don’t get nearly that much, sleep deprivation has been linked to high cortisol levels (aka more stress) [6]. Recent research also suggests not sleeping enough is linked to insulin resistance, a condition in which the body can’t process insulin efficiently and a risk factor for diabetes [7]. 9. Bedroom activities only, please. Reserve the bed for bedtime-only activities so the mind associates the bedroom with relaxation. Sleep and sex, yes. Work and bills, not so much [8]. 10. Create a comfortable environment. Whether that means picking the perfect mattress, splurging on 800-thread-count sheets, getting heavy-duty curtains to block out light, or keeping a fan in the room for background noise, make sure it’s comfy before climbing into bed. Share a bed? Work with your partner to make any changes necessary so everyone sleeps well. 11. Keep the bedroom slightly cool. Between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. A room with extreme temperatures leads to more frequent awakenings and lighter sleep. 12. Take a hot shower or bath before bed. This can help the mind relax, while the rise and fall of body temperature induces sleepiness. 13. Set a daily wakeup time. Just like it’s best to go to bed at the same time every day, it’s a good idea to keep a consistent wakeup time — even on the weekends. Irregular bedtime and wake-up hours can lead to poor sleep patterns [9]. 14. Make up for lost sleep. Stayed up too late the past few nights? Tack on an extra hour tonight to repay sleep debt and get back on track. 15. Keep caffeine fixes to mornings and early afternoons. Drinking it too late in the evening can lead to an unwelcome bedtime boost. For some people, the effects of caffeine can last the whole work day — up to 10 hours after that last venti macchiato. 16. Don’t toss and turn. Can’t fall asleep? If you’ve been lying in bed awake for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and try a relaxing activity like reading or listening to mellow music. Thinking about not sleeping will bring on even more anxiousness — it’s a vicious cycle. 17. Check the medicine cabinet. Certain medications might be interfering with sleep. Think a prescription is the culprit to a sleepless night? Talk to a doctor about potential side effects and how to deal with them. 18. Leave Fluffy on the floor. Sleeping with pets can interfere with sleep. Snuggle before bedtime and then let them get comfortable elsewhere. 19. Face the alarm clock away. Watching the time tick by can actually cause more stress and make it harder to fall asleep. Plus, artificial light from electronic gadgets can mess up our circadian rhythm, making our bodies think it’s time to stay up and party. 20. Get techy. Check out the variety of smartphone apps and other gadgets designed to help usher in a better night’s sleep. Tracking sleep over a long period of time can also help us pinpoint what’s helping — and hurting — our snooze time. 21. Listen to soothing music. It can improve both sleep quality and duration [10]. Try classical, folk, or slow-paced contemporary styles for some soothing sounds. 22. Sniff some lavender. This scent can actually be an antidote to insomnia. Try burning lavender-scented candles or essential oils to ease into sleep [11]. 23. Try progressive muscle relaxation. Starting with the feet, tense the muscles. Hold for a count of five and then relax. Do this for every muscle group in the body, working up from the feet to the top of the head [12]. A nightly meditation practice that involves focusing on the breath can also help prepare the body for sleep. 24. Dim the lights. Bright lighting, in particular the “blue light” emitted by most electronic devices, might contribute to sleep disturbances. Tech-savvy insomniacs might want to check out the special glasses designed to block blue light and help us snooze through the night [13]. 25. Get some fresh air. Exposure to daylight helps regulate the body’s internal clock and with it, sleep timing. Getting some sunlight also keeps daytime fatigue at bay, leading to more sleepiness at bedtime. 26. Establish an “electronic curfew.” The artificial lights from computers, TVs, and cell phones might make it more difficult for the body to understand when it’s time to wind down. And one study suggests limiting TV at bedtime can reduce sleep debt [14]. 27. Drink something warm. While a glass of warm milk might not be medically proven to bring on sleep, the relaxation that comes with sipping on a mug of a “comfort drink” like warm milk, hot chocolate, or tea can make those eyelids a bit heavier. Special thanks to Dr. Eugene Babenko for his contributions to this article.

http://greatist.com/happiness/27-easy-ways-sleep-better-tonight

Stress and Tension Headaches

With stress such a common issue in life today, it's no wonder that more and more people are complaining of tension headaches. In fact, what you may know of as 'tension headaches' are frequently being referred to now as 'stress headaches'. But what causes these headaches, and how can they be treated naturally? Tension headaches are indeed the most common type of headaches, and may appear only once or twice a month, daily, or anywhere in between. The majority of people experience these headaches as mild and short-lived, but they may last for several days. The pain tends to be throbbing, affecting the front, top, and sides of your head, as well as the back of your neck and possibly the muscles in between your shoulder blades as well. Irritability, trouble sleeping, and mild sensitivity to light are also common. These headaches often appear during the day, and do not affect your vision, balance, or strength, and so usually you are still able to perform normal daily activities. Stress appears to be the leading cause of tension headaches, but scientists have yet to specifically determine why. Most likely, it's because when you're stressed, the muscles around your neck, head and eyes get tighter. In addition, it's believed that the following may play a role in the formation of these headaches: hormones sleep issues poor posture chronic fatigue poor diet excessive exercise Conventional medical treatment usually involves over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and various combinations of drugs that may also include caffeine and/or codeine. Unfortunately, over-use of these medications can sometimes trigger tension headaches, and so use of them is suggested only with monitoring by your doctor. Acupuncture is excellent for treating tension headaches, as it helps your body in a variety of ways. For example, acupuncture has been shown to help decrease pain levels, as well as lowering the tension in your muscles. Plus, your hormone levels can be balanced (increased or decreased where needed) and stress levels can be greatly diminished through acupuncture treatment. Massage therapy can help reduce the tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Your trapezius muscles, for example, are often quite tight when you experience tension headaches regularly. Furthermore, massage therapy can help stimulate endorphins, thus assisting in making you feel better. There are indeed many other natural therapies that might help your tension headaches. Yoga, for example, can help you to improve your posture and tone your muscles. Psychotherapy can help you learn to handle stress better, and perhaps reduce the number of tension headaches that you experience. On your own, try closing your eyes and gently rubbing your temples for a few minutes. This may relieve some of the pressure. Also, try taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, and make sure that you are drinking plenty of water on a regular basis. Finally, try adding some fish oil supplements to your diet, as this may help reduce some of the inflammation in your muscles.

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