Headaches are a common discomfort that many people suffer globally. Not only are they uncomfortable, but they can be downright intolerable. If a headache is strong enough, it can interrupt your entire day’s plans.

Although there are medications that can ease the pain, it’s ideal to avoid medicating yourself too often, and instead relying on natural remedies.  

Here are some of the most effective natural ways to rid yourself of a headache. 

Eliminate Stress

Stress is something that is more than just an emotion. Stress can lead to physical symptoms like grinding your teeth, developing rashes, and you guessed it, headaches.

Reducing stress from your life has proven to lessen the frequencies of headaches in your day to day life, and in some cases, eliminate them altogether.  If you have a particularly stressful lifestyle and suffer from headaches, consider whether this may be what’s causing your pain.

Drink More Water

Studies show that people who drink less water on a day to day basis are more likely to suffer from headaches than people who actively hydrate. Not only can water help to prevent headaches, but it can relieve headaches.

If you find yourself with a pounding head, drink several glasses of water, and in many cases, your symptoms will disappear completely within two hours. 

You can also get pain relief from mixing in natural supplements and herbs into your water, though some do have a bitter taste, so you may wish to think about adding additional sweetener or take them in a flavoured drink like tea, to make them a little more palatable.


Stop Drinking Alcohol 

While having a drink or two may not cause a full-fledged hangover, it can still lead to headaches. Alcohol dehydrates the body, so, when consumed regularly, it could be contributing to your headaches. 

Try experimenting with eliminating it from your diet altogether and notice if your symptoms disappear. 

Sleep More

Lack of sleep is damaging for your body in more ways than one. Studies show that individuals who sleep less than six hours a night on a regular basis are more prone to headaches, while those that got more frequent z’s rarely got headaches.

Be careful, however. Sleep can be a double-edged sword when it comes to triggering headaches.  Too much sleep can also cause headaches. Therefore, not to get as much sleep as possible, but rather just the right amount. 

Cold Compress

When your head is pounding, and nothing seems to work, a cold compress can be a great way to ease your pain. Apply a cold rag or ice pack over your eyes. The cold temperature will constrict the blood vessels in that part of your body and reduce if not eliminate your pain.

Wear Glasses

Try to take note of when your headaches occur. If it usually happens when you’re reading or looking at a screen, then this could be an indication that you need vision correction. Making an appointment with an eye doctor should answer whether or not this is the cause.