Headaches are a common problem that tend to pop up frequently. They can be pesky and a huge distraction in your work day. As we've
been learning over these past few years, pain is an action signal created by your nervous system to tell us that "something is not right..." Headaches are no exception. Most of the time, headaches are a response either to chronic tension pattern or a chronic or intense stressor that our brain/body doesn't have enough fuel to get through.
Yes, that's right- a headache can very well be, and most often is a fuel problem, and addressing that fuel problem is often the highest payoff.
Here are 2 easy ways to address the issue quickly, with the understanding that our brain's 2 sources of fuel are oxygen and glucose (sugar).
Fuel Fix #1- Oxygen: Very often, especially during stressful times, we aren't low on oxygen. Actually one response to stress is increased respiration, or hyperventilation. What typically becomes problematic is the shift in the ratio of Oxygen to Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Too much oxygen= too little CO2 and energy production suffers. An age old remedy to hyperventilation is usually a very effective remedy for headaches: Paper Bag Breathing- take a small bag (paper or plastic) and cover your nose and mouth. Slowly inhale and exhale into the bag until the headache resolves or you start to feel uncomfortable. Rest and repeat until the headache resolves.
Fuel Fix #2- Glucose: Yes, as much as we've demonized sugar in the media lately, glucose is still our body's #1 source of energy. A good, natural source and quick burst of sugar can help very quickly (one of the main symptoms of low blood sugar is Headache!). A glass of orange juice and some cheese would be a great snack and remedy. At that point, even 1 soda, made with real cane sugar, and including caffeine is a great option- See Coca Cola, Mexican. ;)
(The carbonation helps restore the Oxygen:CO2 balance. Caffeine stimulates insulin release so will somewhat limit the blood-sugar spike). Yes, we are OK'ing Mexican Coca Cola, or something similar, on occasion, to be used as a supplement and quick effective fix to help you get through a difficult situation.
We also mentioned tension patterns being causes of headaches. Here are 2 high payoff exercises to relieve those tension patterns.
Tension Fix #1- Raise Your Eyebrows: Like you're surprised! The muscle on your forehead that raises your eyebrows has tissue connections across the entire skull, around to the back. Activating it lightly will help relieve some of the tension. Raise your eyebrows like you're surprised and hold it there very lightly (think 10% of fully contracted!) for 10-20 seconds and relax. Repeat 3-4 times or until the headache resolves. You may need to repeat this throughout the day.
Tension Fix #2- The Jaw: If you think about it, you, like most of us, tend to clinch your jaw under stressful times. Reversing that tension can go a long way to relieving the tension in your head. Make fists with both hands, and place them under your chin. Open your jaw about halfway, and put light pressure into your chin with your hands. Slowly slide your jaw side to side for 6-8 reps, then relax. This should relieve a lot of tension in the neck and head. Repeat as often as necessary, but make sure you use light pressure!
Bringing down pain, especially headache pain, is usually best done by bringing down overall stress/threat levels to the body. These 4 suggestions are high payoffs that could do wonders for you. Give them a try- and if you do, tell us your story!
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