Headaches are common health problems but not always a sign of serious illness. They can occur unexpectedly and interfere with daily life. Headaches vary greatly in pain location, intensity and frequency. If headaches occur three or more times per month than it is recommended to identify the causes and start preventative measures, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Stress
The alarm didn't go off, it's late, there's a meeting presentation coming up and the kids have to be dropped off at school. Any of these items can cause stress and trigger a headache. Tension headaches caused by stress are the most common, with pain mild to moderate, sometimes described like a band around the head according to The National Headache Foundation.
Everyone has stress in life, but responding to it with tense, contracted muscles; a clenched jaw or stiff shoulders, can make things worse by developing into a headache. Some people will grind their teeth at night, unknowingly setting themselves up for that morning headache.
Lack of Sleep
Not enough sleep or a restless sleep can cause a tension headache. Americans are sleeping less, according to the National Sleep Foundation, which can cause drowsiness during the day and even show up as a tension headache in the morning.
Many different sleep disorders disrupt a good night's rest and have been linked to a headache. Sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing for a few seconds to minutes several times during the night. This can result in a lack of oxygen to the brain, and cause a morning headache.
Other sleep disturbances can also cause headaches. Getting up in the night with a sick child, having to use the bathroom several times, or other reasons of insomnia can cause frequent headaches.
Hormones and Women
At various stages of their lives, women remain at the mercy of their hormones. Every month, fluctuating estrogen and progesterone can trigger a headache. Premenstrual syndrome or PMS and its accompanying drop in estrogen may be a factor in causing these headaches.
During pregnancy, some women find that their tension headaches, even migraines, get better or disappear. However, after birth with an abrupt decrease in hormones, headaches may again be triggered. With moms that breastfeed the estrogen levels become more balanced due to lactation and often women report they have no headaches, according to the Mayo Clinic website, MayoClinic.com.
Menopause is another time in a woman's life when she may experience frequent headaches. Hormones begin to decline and even fluctuate during the first few years of perimenopause. Some women find relief from migraines after their period stops, but sometimes tension headaches increase.
Eyestrain
Straining to see can cause frequent headaches as well. Sometimes a trip to the eye doctor to check on the correct eyeglass or contact lens prescription is all that is required.
Even for those that do not need glasses, long work at the computer can cause eyestrain and a resultant headache. The muscles of the eye can become fatigued causing pain. Research reported by Voice of America, shows that watching 3-D movies with special glasses and even television can cause headaches from eyestrain.
References
- National Institute of Health: NINDS Headache Information Page
- The National Headache Foundation: Children's Headaches
- National Sleep Foundation: One-Third of Americans Lose Sleep Over Economy
- Illinois Neurological Institute: Headaches and Sleep
- Voice of America: Research Shows 3-D Movies, TV Can Cause Eye Strain, Headaches
