Stop the stress to reduce the pain.

The kids are bickering. You’ve just burned dinner. And you have about three hours of paperwork to catch up on tonight. No wonder you have a headache.

Stress is one of the most common triggers of headaches. In fact, it’s kind of a double-edged sword—stress can cause a headache and a headache can really stress you out. While it’s tempting to pop a pill and push on through, that headache is telling you something—the stress is catching up with you.

What is a Stress Headache?

A stress headache (also called a tension headache) involves both sides of the head and feels like tightness in the forehead or back of the neck. The pain often runs along the tendons at the sides and back of the neck. Sometimes the pain feels the worst at the top of the neck where it meets the head, but it can also run all the way down into the shoulders.

Stress or tension headaches are generally caused by stress, as the name suggests. Although stress headaches can result from a major stressful event such as the death of a loved one, they are typically associated with prolonged daily stress that results from everyday irritants such as sitting in traffic or juggling work and family responsibilities. Many people develop stress headaches after working long hours at a desk or driving for an extended period of time. High blood pressure can also cause stress headaches. Individuals who tend to grind their teeth, tense their muscles, or stiffen their shoulders in response to stress may be more susceptible to developing stress headaches.

Preventing Stress Headaches

If you suffer from stress headaches, it’s important to learn how to cope with stress. Daily stress is an unavoidable part of life—you probably can’t eliminate it altogether, but you can keep it under control. Try these tools for keeping stress at bay:

• Exercise: Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent stress. Make this a daily healthy habit to increase your energy, improve your health and keep stress and headaches away. If you feel a headache coming on, exercise will often prevent it from developing.
• Sleep: Stress often leads to sleep deprivation, which results in headaches, which results in more stress. It’s a vicious cycle. Set yourself up for success by getting a good night’s sleep every night.
• Nutrition: A healthy diet will support your body and help you cope with stress. Junk food will only drag you further down. No matter how busy you are, take the time to eat whole foods such as fruits and vegetables to provide your body with the fuel it needs.
• Meditation/Relaxation: If you’re stressed, you probably don’t feel like you have time for meditation. But setting aside 10 minutes at the beginning of every day to breathe and get centered can set the tone for your day.
• Time Management: Most stress results from feeling like we don’t have enough time to accomplish the tasks at hand. Create a to-do list every day and then tackle that list one item at a time. By organizing your day and being prepared, you can prevent the stress of feeling overwhelmed.
• Simplify: Sometimes we really do have too much to do. Ask yourself what’s truly important and let go of extra drains on your time and energy.
• Laugh: Laughter really is the best medicine—it releases endorphins that improve your mood and attitude. Humor is one of the best stress relievers.
• Take a Break: It’s counterproductive to force yourself to sit at your desk all day. Take a few breaks throughout the day to clear your mind. Take a brisk walk around the block or a few slow stretches in your office to help set the reset button.
• Change the Routine: It’s important to take breaks from the daily grind of our routines. A vacation, weekend getaway, or even a day trip can help give you a new perspective.

Treating Stress Headaches

No matter how hard we work to prevent stress, sometimes it creeps up on us. If you’re suffering from stress headaches, try these remedies:

• Stop and relax. Sometimes a stress headache will disappear if we stop, take a break, breathe deeply, drink some water, and relax.
• Exercise. A brisk walk will release endorphins that may help alleviate the headache.
• Take aspirin or ibuprofen. Over-the-counter pills can help when you’re suffering from a stress headache; however, beware the rebound headache, which can be triggered after the pain medication wears off, thereby prompting you to take another dose. Eventually, you may experience a headache every time you stop taking the medicine. Avoid taking these pills more than three times a week.
• Acupuncture. Some research has shown that acupuncture can treat headaches and also prevent stress headaches in those who suffer from them regularly.
• Visit a doctor. If your headaches persist or don’t respond to other remedies, consider visiting your physician to discuss the problem. Sometimes prescription medication may be necessary, or your physician may be able to refer you to a professional who can help you manage stress.

Beyond the Stress Headache

Most headaches are nothing to worry about. If your headaches become so severe that they disrupt your daily activities, work, or personal life, they may be a symptom of a larger problem. Stress headaches are irritating, but not debilitating. If you experience a headache that is sudden, severe, or grows worse over time, it’s important to seek medical help. Headaches that result from a head injury or are accompanied by fever, rash, confusion, impaired vision, or difficulty speaking should always be evaluated by a professional.