Tension headaches are a common and unpleasant condition that many people suffer from from time to time. This type of headache is usually caused by stress, which makes it difficult to prevent. In this article, you can read about what you can do to reduce tension headaches.
A tension headache is a pain around the head that often feels like pressure. Sometimes it can feel as though there is a tight band around your head. This sensation is usually felt on both sides of the head and can also be accompanied by muscle tension in the neck, shoulders and jaws.
This type of headache is very tiring for many people. Unlike migraines, this usually does not cause nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. However, it can lead to concentration problems and difficulty with daily activities.
The main cause of tension headaches is stress. They can occur more frequently, particularly if you regularly experience tension or are dealing with chronic stress. Other triggers may include:
Once you know what triggers your tension headaches, you can start tackling the problem. Below, we explain how you can reduce these headaches yourself.
Stress is the main cause of tension headaches. Getting enough relaxation is therefore perhaps the most important tip. If you find it difficult to relax, try to schedule moments of rest into your day. This could include, for example, 5 minutes of meditation, doing breathing exercises or going for a short walk.
Poor posture causes tension in the neck, shoulders and jaw. This happens particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting at a computer or on your phone. It is therefore important to sit up straight, change your posture regularly and stretch every now and then.
Exercise helps to release tension in the muscles, which in turn reduces tension in your head. It also stimulates blood circulation. A daily walk or yoga session is usually enough to achieve this.
It’s not just your head that needs relaxation; your body does too. So try to sleep well and maintain a regular sleep pattern. Even if you’ve been exercising intensively, it’s important to give your body enough time to recover.
With tension headaches, your neck and shoulders are often particularly tense. So make sure you consciously relax your muscles regularly. You can do this by taking a bath, having a warm shower and stretching. Red light therapy with a localised laser can also help with this.
Sitting in front of a screen for long periods strains both your eyes and your head and neck. Take regular short breaks during the working day and look away from your screen every now and then. You could, for example, use the 20-20-20 rule.
Many people use red light therapy to help with tension headaches and to prevent them. You can use localised red light therapy, such as with the PowerCure Pro, to relax your muscles and thus prevent headaches. There is also intranasal red light therapy, which supports your body from the inside out.
Intranasal red light therapy involves using red light via a small lamp placed in the nose. The nose contains many small blood vessels, allowing the red light to easily influence the mitochondria within the cells. This results in, amongst other things:
Red light therapy not only helps with tension headaches, but also with other headache-related complaints such as migraines.
The IN-light Pro is an intranasal red light therapy device that can be used for tension headaches. There are many positive experiences from users who use the IN-light for headaches and other complaints. You can use the laser wherever and whenever you want, without it taking up any extra time. This way, you can work on your health at any moment!
