You rely on caffeine to increase your alertness, giving you a needed boost in the morning or during a mid-afternoon slump. But when you skip your daily caffeine intake, you can experience a headache and difficulty concentrating, according to Science Daily. This is because caffeine withdrawal affects how quickly blood flows in your brain, and for this reason, a caffeine headache also is known as a rebound headache, meaning the body is affected by its withdrawal. Because the more caffeine you typically drink, the greater your symptoms, treatments may vary based on your headache level.
Step 1
Drink a caffeine-containing beverage or consume a caffeine-containing food, such as chocolate, chocolate milk, coffee or tea. This sends caffeine to the receptors in the brain causing the headache. This works only as a quick fix. Continuing to consume caffeine will likely produce future headaches when your body once again experiences withdrawals.
Step 2
Slowly replace caffeine-containing beverages you typically drink with decaffeinated options, according to CNN.com. Because quitting drinking caffeine cold turkey can result in caffeine headaches, you can slowly wean yourself off caffeine consumption. Try replacing half your daily cup of coffee with decaffeinated coffee, or switch to a non-caffeinated soda.
Step 3
Consume meals at your typical hours, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Not eating can worsen the symptoms of a caffeine headache. Avoid skipping breakfast as well, because fasting can contribute to your headache.
Step 4
Engage in regular aerobic exercise to encourage circulation, according to the AAFP. Exercising four to six days a week for 30 minutes or more can have positive effects on reducing caffeine headaches.
Step 5
Take an over-the-counter pain medication, such as aspirin or acetaminophen, to relieve headaches. Read the labels carefully; many medications contain caffeine.
Step 6
See your physician for an anti-headache medication if over-the-counter treatments fail, the AAFP recommends. Your physician may prescribe a medication to encourage headache prevention as your body adjusts to reduced caffeine intake.
Things You'll Need
- Caffeinated and/or decaffeinated beverage
- Over-the-counter headache medication
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