Here are some great tips that ensure speedy recovery and even prevention of headaches – the simple and drug-free way. Dr. Vikram Singh, Consultant, Neurosurgery at Moolchand Medcity, gives us some excellent home remedies for headaches. Read and practise these tips today. Over to Dr. Vikram Singh…
Hydrate yourself: Dehydration can be one of the top causes for a headache. One should have many fluids like water and fresh fruit juices, and avoid caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee, which dehydrate the body.
Head massages: Apply gentle, steady rotating pressure to the painful area of your head with your index finger and/or thumb. Maintain pressure for 7-15 seconds, then release. Repeat as needed. Massaging helps in relieving the tightened muscles and improves blood circulation.
Follow a balanced diet with proper meal timings: There has to be a balanced diet and proper timings for the said diet. In fact, one should follow a fixed timetable for all the four meals of the day. The brain needs glucose and deprivation of glucose can cause hypoglycemia and thus the headache. So the food should be consumed at timely intervals for the proper functioning of your body’s metabolism.
Adequate sleep: Sleeping properly in the right posture for adequate time durations is very necessary. Lack of sleep or interrupted sleep can disturb your sleep cycle and hence cause headaches. An average duration of 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is necessary, and the thickness of the pillow should not be too much.
Rest for a while: Close your eyes and try to release the tension and the pressure in your back, neck and shoulders while sitting in a low-lit room. Avoid bending over or physically exerting yourself.
Hot shower: Stand in the shower and let the hot water hit your head and run down your neck and back. Doing so will loosen the muscles in your head and neck, allowing better blood flow.
Try smiling and laughing: In case of minor headaches, smiling can prove to be a cure. Smiling and laughing release endorphins within the brain, working on a positive feedback loop – the more you smile and laugh, the more “feel-good” chemicals the brain releases, and the more of these chemicals it releases, the more you smile and laugh! Endorphins will help to relieve the pain.
Relax and do what your heart says: During headaches, music works wonders as it helps in easing the stress. Apart from that, close your eyes and think pleasant thoughts.
Breathe in fresh air: Deep breathing exercises can also help in relieving a headache; it will be even more effective as a natural headache cure if it is done in the fresh air.
Time-out: Remove yourself from a stressful situation by taking a walk or by distracting the mind and taking a few minutes to concentrate on something relaxing. A five-minute time-out “vacation” is a quick and easy stress buster and a great home remedy for headaches.
[“source-timesofindia”]
