Headaches are common, but some individuals get more headaches than others. If the headaches are frequent, last a long time, and/or are severe, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible.
Let’s see why some people get more headaches than others.
1. Stress and Anxiety
If you’re getting headaches more often than you’d like, it may be time to take a look at your stress and anxiety levels.
According to the National Headache Foundation, stress and anxiety are common causes of headaches. Stress is defined as “the tension that results from being unable to meet a demand or expectation,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
It’s easy to see how this could cause headaches. If you’re stressed about something and unable to meet your own expectations for yourself, your body will begin sending out pain signals to tell you that something needs to change.
The key is identifying what’s causing your stress and then figuring out how to reduce it, so it doesn’t keep coming back over and over again.
2. Eye Strain
One of the main causes of headaches is eye strain. Staring at a computer screen, or even just using a smartphone all day, can cause your eyes to get tired and strained.
Eye strain can occur from looking at something too long, like a smartphone or computer screen. This causes your eyes to become tired and strained, which is also known as eye fatigue. The more often you do this, the more likely you are to get frequent headaches.
You might think that sitting in front of a screen is harmless, but it actually takes its toll on your body over time. Staring at a screen for hours at a time can result in headaches and eye fatigue if you don’t take breaks from time to time!
Get an eye exam and then opt for glasses or contact lenses as prescribed by your doctor. Google ‘eye glass store near me’ and find the nearest store to order a pair of glasses for yourself. You’ll find a variety of frame styles to choose from. Make sure the glass fits you perfectly so that you can wear it all the time.
3. Fever
If you’ve been experiencing headaches all the time, you may have a fever.
Headaches are one of the most common side effects of having a fever and can be caused by several things. One of these is dehydration. When your body is running at a high temperature, it’s going to sweat out more water than normal, which means that your body is losing more fluid than usual. If you’re not replenishing this fluid with enough water or sports drinks, then you’re at risk of becoming dehydrated.
4. Not Getting Enough Sleep
The National Institutes of Health reports that between 7 percent and 19 percent of U.S. adults don’t get sufficient sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to headaches. If you’re getting headaches regularly, it might be because you’re not getting enough sleep.
Adults require around seven hours of sleep every night. Sadly, most people are only getting about six hours of sleep per night, which is less than half of what we need for optimal health.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces too many stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
These hormones can cause blood vessels in your brain to constrict and make it harder for blood to flow through them. This can cause headaches.
Harvard School of Public Health also reports that lack of sufficient sleep leads to diabetes. That, in turn, makes your body dehydrated. This dehydration can also lead to headaches.
5. Not Eating and Drinking Properly
Not eating and drinking properly can cause headaches because dehydration can cause migraines. Not drinking enough water means that your body will dehydrate, which can increase the risk of headaches.
To avoid dehydration, make sure you’re drinking a minimum of eight glasses every day. You should also eat enough food to keep your blood sugar levels stable. You don’t need to eat huge meals all the time, but make sure you’re getting enough calories and nutrients daily so that your body doesn’t become depleted.
The CDC reports that Americans are consuming too much sugar. Because of that, the number of diabetes cases in the U.S. is on the rise. Such unhealthy eating behavior can lead to long-lasting and repetitive headaches.
The next time you’re dealing with a headache, any one of these might be causing it. Thus, consult your doctor and get yourself checked immediately.
