Every now and then everyone will end up with a headache for one reason or another. Some people suffer from headaches more often than others. Headaches are also not the same as migraines as migraines are debilitating, but headaches can be quite bad as well but even while having one you are still functional. However, the first thing that those who suffer from headaches do is grab a pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil and over time it goes away.
What if you don’t have pain relievers on hand? And what if you prefer not to take one? The good news is that there are some excellent natural go-to remedies that can provide you with the headache relief you need. Let’s now go over them.
Drink Water
Sometimes your headache is the result of being dehydrated. You may not necessarily know you are dehydrated because you are not always thirsty. However, if you have a headache and drink some water, the headache may dissipate over a half hour. Water also helps with better circulation which will also help relieve head pain.
Put An Ice Pack On Your Head
If drinking water doesn’t help, then you can always try to put an ice pack on your head or neck, or a cold compress will work just as well. That will help to reduce your inflammation as well as constricting blood vessels. When that happens, you will find that you have headache relief. The best thing to do is to put an ice pack or cold compress on your neck for a half-hour which will reduce pain a lot. That tactic can even work for some migraine sufferers.
However, Use A Warm Towel For Tension Headaches
If you have a tension headache where it is caused by the muscles being too tight, you will not want to use a cold compress or ice pack. That will worsen it. You will want to use a warm compress instead as it will help loosen the muscles. If the tight muscles are the culprit for your headache, then you will only want to loosen them up for relief.
Keep The Lights Dim
Headaches are worsened by bright lights and the best hack for relieving head pain is to keep the lights low. If you are struggling with a headache during the day and you don’t have enough window shades in the room, then you will want to either invest in black-out shades or a pair of sunglasses. If you are working and your office does not have enough shade while you have a headache, then you will want to bring your sunglasses to wear because that can help you as well by dimming any lights.
Herbal Teas Can Help
If you have tried other remedies listed and you were not too happy with the results, you can always try drinking herbal tea to help soothe your headache. Teas such as chamomile, lavender, or peppermint can help relieve your head pain. If you are experiencing nausea with your headache, then you will want to go for ginger tea.
Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep
If a lack of sleep is the cause of your headache, then the best remedy is to get plenty of sleep. You may want to clean your sleep hygiene. That means no longer taking in caffeine after 2 pm, and using screens within two hours of going to bed. Develop a sleep schedule that you can stick to. Take a catnap if you must during the day. Sometimes that alone will help your headache improve.
Therefore, try any of the above remedies listed instead of reaching out to take pain relievers such as Tylenol and Advil. You can always resort to pain relievers if necessary in addition to natural remedies.
