If you are anything like me, you get headaches often. In fact, you probably have a headache right now (I know I do). Now, before some people rush in and say “You’re probably just dehydrated!” I’m not. I actively try to avoid headaches, so I stay hydrated, end of story. However, while you might be used to the feeling of a headache, that doesn’t mean that you enjoy it. Like any sensible human, you probably want the feeling to go away, like right now. Here are a couple of things that I do to get rid of a headache.
1. Eat
I know it might seem like a terrible idea to eat (because sometimes headaches make you nauseous) but do it. If you haven’t eaten in a while, or you are on a diet, you might have a headache because your blood-glucose levels are too low. I can’t tell you how many times a good strawberry has gotten rid of my headache. Eating is the first thing that I try, so I thought that I would impart some of my wisdom.
2. Change your environment
Sometimes where I am or what I am doing gives me a headache. For example, I can’t stay inside bath and body works for too long because the over-abundance of smells gives me a headache. I also can’t listen to music too loudly or, (shocker) I get a headache. So, if you have a headache and you know for a fact that you have been eating and drinking regularly, I would recommend changing location to somewhere more familiar, like your bedroom.
3. If at all possible, get rid of stressful factors in your life
I get stress headaches. The pain radiates from jut in-between my eyebrows and it is the worst. These headaches are the ones that make me want to curl up in my bed and just lay there for eternity. I know that as a college student some level of stress is unavoidable, but if at all possible, get rid of some of the things that are stressful to you. Like, if you have a midterm coming up in a week, go study for an hour. It might not seem like much, but I promise you that you will feel a lot better.
4. Sleep
After eating, this is the method that I use the most. If I have a headache and I do not have to be anywhere or do anything that day, I will take a nap. And not just a 30-minute power nap. A real nap that lasts at least an hour. Even if I wake up groggy and confused, more often that not that grogginess and confusion is at least not accompanied by a pounding headache.
5. Take some pills
Pills are often my last resort. If I have tried everything above, and nothing seems to be working, I will pop a couple of pills. They’re not necessarily the best thing for your body, but they often do the job. I recommend Advil liquid gels (they are fast acting and are ibuprofen, which is better for you than acetaminophen-- found in Tylenol) and Excedrin Migraine (it has caffeine in it, which helps with headaches).
