Natural Ways To Reduce Stress, Tension And Headaches

By Moira Chisholm

Shutterstock / gpointstudio © Woman sitting in front of laptop rubs her nose as she looks down

Pic: Shutterstock

By Charlene Gisele, Health and Wellness Coach

1 Stop multi-tasking!

Tired upset mature old businesswoman suffering from strong chronic headache migraine or memory loss at work, stressed dizzy fatigued middle aged senior woman office worker feels pain in aching head;

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Multi-tasking for productivity is a myth. This form of hyper-productivity is lauded in professional circles but in reality, it takes up far more energy than you realise. You end up doing things half as well, in twice the time, plus the mental overload can cause headaches. Instead, diligently allow for a single task or thought at a time, and systematically move through the list instead of juggling them all. Plus, each time you tick something off the list, it helps to lighten your mental load.

2 Schedule in a daytime nap

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It’s possible to have headaches due to physical or intellectual fatigue! So, rather than cramming in as much work as possible, do the opposite – take a nap or have more sleep and you’ll find you’ll have more sustained energy and fewer headaches. This might sound counterproductive when you have ‘so much work to do’, but you’ll work more efficiently and with fewer headaches when you’re well-rested.

3 Take a breather

Woman sitting in front of laptop rubs her nose as she looks down

Pic: Shutterstock

A mini, conscious breathwork session can be all you need to help relieve tension in the body. Whether you’re on the move or working at your desk, just take a few minutes to inhale and exhale deeply and consciously, engaging your diaphragm instead of your chest. Keep the breaths even, deep and smooth. Deep breathing calms the body down and reduces the stress on the brain, which should help to alleviate headaches.

4 Have a bathroom dance

Laughing carefree middle-aged woman standing in living room stretched hands closed eyes breathing fresh air feels happy healthy, starts new day positive mood and thoughts, dancing enjoy life concept;

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Try to pause at least once a day for a creative release, as it’s a brilliant way to reduce stress on the mind and engage another part of the brain. Try drawing, doodling, playing an instrument, singing, or having a quick dance. If you’re in the office, a co-working space or around others, you might have to escape to the bathroom or windowless meeting room for that dance, but it’ll be worth it.

5 Take a cold shower

Sick female with huge migraine holding wet towel on her head ;

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Cold therapy works! Applying a cold compress on your forehead is a great home remedy for headaches because the cold constricts blood vessels and reduces pressure on the nearby nerves. If you feel brave enough, hop into a cold shower for 30 seconds to three minutes for dramatically quick relief.

6 Put on blue light filter glasses

Prolonged exposure to artificial blue light from staring at our screens is a major contributor to headaches. I recommend hourly eye breaks by using a mask to completely rest the eyes for a couple of minutes. If you absolutely can’t reduce your screen time (are you sure though…?) then consider a pair of biohacking blue light filter glasses to help reduce the strain.

7 Get outside

Smiling beautiful middle-aged woman with a cup of hot drink on the windowsill in the garden with blooming lilac;

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Stepping out for a breath of air is a great way to reduce stress, especially if you can make it to a local park. But a little walk about the block and a bit of sunshine could also reboot your energy and help to reduce the intensity of a headache.