Six Headache Causes and How to Avoid Them

First, try to maintain some aspects of your weekday routine. Sleeping more than eight hours can cause headaches, as can caffeine withdrawal so don't skip your daily brew. Also, incorporate exercise and relaxation into your work week. Both will help regulate the flow of those neurotransmitters during the week.

If you're popping painkillers to stave off your headaches, you could actually be causing more headaches. Rebound headaches affect about two percent of the population, and they can occur if you're using Aspirin, Tylenol and other over-the-counter painkillers too often. The solution?

Many women get migraines just before or at the start of their periods, as a result of fluctuating hormone levels. Pregnancy and perimenopause will also cause hormonal changes that could lead to headaches. What can you do about it?

If you find yourself consistently getting headaches around your period, speak to your doctor about taking a prescription triptan, such as Frova. Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen for the five to seven days around your period may also help reduce headache frequency.

Anger causes the muscles in your head, neck and scalp to contract. If you stay angry long enough, those muscles will get tired, and you'll find yourself with a tension headache. How can you ease the tension?

The next time you feel yourself holding in anger, try this method: Take in a larger than normal breath; hold it for three to five seconds while pressing together the thumb and index finger on one of your hands. Then exhale slowly through parted lips, until all the air has been drained from your lungs. Repeat two or three times. This soothing move stops you from tensing your neck and shoulder muscles.

Some foods contain chemicals that can cause headaches. The tyramine in aged cheeses like Cheddar, Brie and Stilton, the theobromine in chocolate, and the aspartine in diet soda are all possible headache triggers. MSG, and the nitrates in processed meats and fish are also culprits. What should you do about these food triggers?

Everyone reacts to foods differently. To get a better idea of which foods are causing your headaches, keep a food diary. Note what you ate at each meal, and how your body felt afterward. Once you notice a correlation between a certain food and your headaches, try cutting that food out of your diet.

Smell is an extremely powerful sense more powerful than we often realize. In a recent study at the Headache Center of Atlanta, almost 50 percent of migraine sufferers attributed strong scents, such as perfume or household cleaners, to an attack. How can you keep the odors at bay?

You can't walk around in a gas mask all day, but you can make sure that your work and home spaces are well ventilated. You can also make sure that your home only has healthy scents in it by buying fragrance-free cleaning supplies.