Headaches! Ok, we all get them. And I believe we can all agree, they HURT! and they can make us feel sick!
Now, the severity can vary. Sometimes it can be an annoyance that just aggravates us. Other times, it is this THROBBING that makes it difficult to concentrate. Then there are the times that it hurts so badly, we just want to scream, scream loud, go to sleep to possibly evade it, or just DIE already!!
What can we do to avoid having them in the first place? And if we DO get them, HOW can we get rid of them without OD’ing on Tylenol, aspirin, BC or whatever our vice may be!?!
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT!
The first choice would be… NOT to get them in the first place!! Sometimes though, it’s easier said than done.
DESTRESS
First preventative measure, I truly feel is the #1 culprit from personal experience… STRESS!! Well, that’s just peachy. We have that in our everyday lives! There’s stress at work, stress in dealing with the children, stress in dealing with our spouse (lol… sorry, but that is sometimes true, too), stress with the housework, stress with the yardwork, stress paying the bills… stress, STRESS, STRESS!!! It is EVERYWHERE!! So, how do we reduce THAT?!
PRIORITIZE! Pick and choose your battles! Not my circus, not my monkeys! Rise above! Don’t worry, be happy! Whatever works for you, think THAT!!
Seriously, think before you react. Now, granted, at work, we don’t have many choices. However, we DO have the choice of choosing how we REACT.
WORK! A new, unexpected task just got thrown at you to do and your inbox (or work order sheet) is already full. What do you do? Stop and think. Is it just a colleague passing off their work to you? Smile and hand it back. But is it your boss requesting it of you? Take a deep breath, release, then nod and say you’ll do your best and then do it. After all, there is nothing you can do about it (short of losing your job). And unless you’re willing to do that, there is no need to get upset. Just do it. Pull that “calming cloud” over you. Close your eyes and pull that calming effect down onto you.
CHILDREN! Remember how, when they were a baby, they smelled so good, they were so little, so fragile, it was so relaxing and peaceful holding them in your arms? Then came the all-night crying, late night bottles, no sleep, no time for a shower! ah, but they are just BABIES! They will get older! So during this time, believe me, just cherish it. Nothing stays the same forever and this time will never come again.
And then… older, they get! There is the yelling, running, screaming, blatant, outright rebuttal against you!! Ahh.. but they are just toddlers!! Now granted, you’ve gotta remember they ARE just children and need understanding. But also remember, you do not want them growing up into brats!! lol You’ve gotta find a BALANCE!! But yet again, there are so many beautiful moments in there… cherish those moments, for they will not last forever either.
Then come their teenage years. Ohh yea… remember, find that balance and try to hang on!! lol This phase, too, sadly, shall pass.
But don’t fret, for as/when they grow into adults, you will get to embark in a whole new relationship with them, grown upon the previous. Yea, it’s a whole new world. 🙂
Then there is our SPOUSE! You love ’em, you really do! But sometimes you just wanna strangle them!! lol Yeesh!! Before you go there, just try to stop and think and remember why you fell in love with them in the first place. And always remember to keep that communication open between you. And find that “calming cloud” and pull it over onto yourself…and smile. 🙂
Then THE HOUSEWORK! THE YARDWORK! Face it, it’s always gonna be there. We are all gonna have our good days and our bad. Just do your best. What doesn’t get done, well, it will wait for you until next time! Unfortunately. lol And when you DO get it done, think of how good that feeling is of a well-deserved accomplishment! 🙂
Lo and behold, THE BILLS!! Unfortunately, much like the housework and yardwork, it will wait for you… but with INTEREST and LATE FEES! lol Yea, ok, that’s not funny, is the truth! But you know, sometimes, you’ve just LAUGH at the situation!! Really!!
The point is, LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS! If you have a proven track record of using charge cards responsibly, by all means, use them. And look for the ones with no annual fees, low interest rate and as a bonus topper, cash back!
Now, if you do NOT have a good track record, DITCH THE CREDIT CARDS… cut them up!! And PAY CASH! First off, figure in the necessary bills like rent/mortgage, groceries, gas, electric, water, school lunch monies, etc. After that, IF you have the cash to buy something, go ahead (unless you want to save it for a rainy day, which I suggest putting an allowance for that into your necessity list!) If you cannot afford it, don’t get it. That’s simple and there is no extra bill that you cannot afford. Doing this, there will come a time, you will check your credit rating and find it at a level that will make your smile!
Whatever your situation, remember to just live within your means.
SLEEP! Yea, you know, that thing you do every day (hopefully) and like it so good, but you somehow don’t get enough of it? And when you don’t, you regret it the next day? And it doesn’t take long, it can and will give you a headache!
It seems to be one of the easiest things to take away from, to make room to do other things. But the thing is, it really does harm us if we neglect it too much. So, try to make a sincere effort to get more sleep. You will thank yourself for it in the morning. 🙂
So, are you getting my drift yet? THINK, PRIORITIZE, PLAN, SLEEP, FRESH AIR, DESTRESS!!
Oh yea… and GET A DOG!! Personally, I find that to be The #1 DESTRESSOR!! Or if you’re a cat-person, then GET A CAT!! 🙂
Now, since we have gotten DESTRESSED, what else is there?
OUR SURROUNDINGS!
#1 NOISE! Be for real! That is freaking loud!! PLEASE, TURN THAT TV DOWN!! Just sayin’… noise WILL beat at your brain and get on your every last nerve!! So, be it the tv, radio, turn it down!! If it’s your voice?? Turn that down, too!! Just sayin’, that adds to your stress, just turn the volume DOWN!!
LIGHT! Turn it down a knotch or two!! Bright lights will induce headaches! In my house, I use low wattage (40watts) lamps, even a few 20watt lamps… except in my kitchen. There is abundant light in there because I don’t want to be chopping a finger into anything! But the rest of my house, I rarely will use a ceiling light (albeit the bathroom, and that’s only on occasion, like when I’m in the shower or putting on my makeup.) ohhh which brings up another topic, but I will save that for later. 🙂
Oh, and I use incandescent lighting. Those money-saving halogen give off that glowing blue light that I cannot stand!! But also, in the same context, TOO dim of lighting will ALSO induce headaches because you are straining your eyes. So use your own personal discretion when choosing your lighting!
SMELLS! Yep! Even those smells… candles, food, cleaning supplies, kitty litter, air freshener, carpet deodorizers… yes, they all can affect your head! Now, if the smell is pleasant to you, you would think you would be good. Most times, yes, but, as it applies with most everything, there IS a such thing as “TOO much of a good thing.” On the same note, if something has a distinct smell that is not appealing, or maybe smells good but is STRONG… THAT can give you a headache! So, make an observation around your home to see if there are any “smells” that could possibly be causing/triggering your headache!
Going beyond headaches, you really do have to beware of smells, for if they smell fine but you are having an unpleasant reaction, heed and take note! Once, I sprinkled a carpet freshener on my carpets before I vacuumed. A little later, I starting itching. Ok, so I probably got something on me, so I went to take a shower. When I did, I noticed these little red dots all over my body. Ok, let me wash it off! I showered. A little later, I went to bed and was having a bit of difficulty breathing. I blew it off to allergies and went on to sleep. The next morning, I woke up looking like the Marshmallow Puff Man. I was so swollen, I couldn’t walk, I had to crawl, I was having difficulty breathing. It was awful. I literally crawled to my vehicle and drove myself to my doctor’s office, crawled in, and he took me back immediately. And granted, I got a tongue-lashing of how I could have died…from an allergic reaction!! So, just sayin’… be careful of those smells and notice your body’s reaction!!
Now, speaking of breathing, that brings us to the topic of FRESH AIR! No, fresh air does not GIVE you a headache, it helps to RELIEVE a headache! Unless it is heavy pollen season and you are allergy prone, get out and get some fresh air! Air inside gets stale (which can cause a headache) and just going outside and getting a breath of fresh air can be refreshing and reviving! Go out there and take a deep breath! Shucks, take several! And while you are out there, walk around a bit, take notice of the natural beauty you can find. Being outside really can be invigorating! Personal experience, the days that I am outside and working, I may be worn out and tired, but goodness, I feel good! And I believe it to be because of the fresh air! (And the physical exercise does me a lot of good!)
Oh yes… and do some neck exercises! Did you know that tension in your neck can cause headaches? Just try these neck exercises and you just may see a difference they make!
CONSUMPTION!
Things we take into our body, in whatever form, can also lead to headaches!
FOODS! It is very possible that certain foods that you eat may have brought on that headache! And some say that if you eat other certain foods, it may very well prevent a headache!
And in some cases, those who are gluten-intolerant, have an allergy to gluten or are just wondering? Check out my friend’s site, she has a chock-full of information about it!
No doubt, I will be adding more to this post, but for now, I need some sleep. 😉
DRINKING! I’m not talking water, tea or soda, or even fruit juice. I’m talking about beer or liquor. And if you drink, you know where I’m going with this with ONE word… HANGOVER! It may be fun, but really, is it worth a day (or in some cases 2) of misery for one night of fun? Eh, that’s up to you, of course. Just keep in mind that it’s all good, just remember to control it, try not to over-indulge and be a glutton. A little can be relaxing and enjoyable. And some say that a glass of red wine a day is good for your health. But the key is to control your intake. If you don’t, it DOES cause a doozy of a headache! This is just a friendly reminder. 😉
SMOKING! Ok, please, don’t get upset at me, I used to be a smoker, so I understand. And I also know that someone isn’t going to quit until they are ready. So, I won’t go there. I’m just giving you a reminder that smoking does contribute to that headache!
Now, with that being said, I am NOT trying to persuade you, but personally, I found that switching from smoking cigarettes to vaping, helped me to breath better and not suffer so badly from cigarette withdrawal.
FIND YOUR PEACE!
We all need to find our own personal comfort zone. Any negativity in your life, if it’s not necessary, remove it. If it IS necessary, then change how you react to it.
Try out and take notice of how foods affect you and alter your eating habits accordingly. Get adequate sleep! Adjust your surroundings that you can control.
Practice breathing techniques, meditate (possibly a future post), take up a soothing and enjoyable hobby. Just find a way to be at peace with yourself. And with that, you will have more peace and harmony… hopefully, with little to no headaches. 🙂
