The Sunday Mail
SUMMER is here! Headaches and migraines are quite common during this time of the year.
Causes
Sensitivity to sunlight
Summer headaches and migraines are quite common among people who are sensitive to sunlight.
The reason is exposure to sunlight for long hours stresses nerves and tissues of your head. The nerve endings swell up as a result of high temperature. When the blood vessels dilate, you get a throbbing headache.
Dehydration
Another common reason for a summer headache is dehydration. During summer, our body loses a lot of fluid in the form of sweat. As a result of excessive loss of fluids, your body triggers headaches and migraines.
Change in routine
With the onset of summer, there is a shift in your daily routine to adjust to the seasonal change. Change in the eating habits, meal schedule as well as sleeping routine, are directly related to headaches and migraine.
Excessive sleeping
While many people are deprived of sleep, there are a lot of people who sleep excessively during summer. However, excessive sleeping during summer also triggers a migraine and headaches.
Beating summer headache
Drink a lot of water
The first step to beat a summer headache is by drinking enough water. When you sweat your body cools down; however, sweating also decreases the level of fluids in the body.
Lack of fluids interferes with the electrolyte and sodium levels. The loss of sodium and fluids trigger a migraine. As a result, it is extremely important to stay hydrated during summer to avoid headaches. In addition to drinking clean water, you can also include food items that are loaded with water such as cucumber.
Stay away from
bright light
Another way to keep headaches at bay is by staying away from bright light. If you get frequent headaches, make sure that you protect your head from bright sunlight.
The blood vessels on either side of the head swell when exposed to sunlight. The swelling is also accompanied by a severe headache. Wear sunglasses and cover your head with a scarf or use an umbrella when you step out during the day.
Follow a healthy diet
Irregular meals or skipping meals can lead to a migraine and headaches.
Ensure that there is no drastic change in your routine and avoid skipping meals. Try to maintain a regular schedule even if you are on a holiday. In addition, make sure that you get enough sleep to avoid major headaches.
You should also:
Avoid caffeinated beverages as they tend to cause dehydration. Stick to plain water.
Run errands and exercise in the cooler morning or evening hours
Apply cold packs to the head and/or neck
Wear sunglasses while in the sun. Consider wearing polarised sun glasses to block harmful glare, especially when going to the beach or lake.
Keep a “headache diary” for several days to determine what usually causes your headaches. — Online sources.
