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There’s nothing like a headache to derail your whole day—or several days if you suffer from ones that last longer. While you have your literal headache, you do things that give you a figurative headache once you’re better. You pick fights that you need to patch up. You make mistakes on work that you have to fix later. Just like there is maternity leave, you wish there was such thing as “headache leave” because you really can’t function when it feels like a little person is inside of your skull, hammering away. If your headaches are quite frequent, then you might not like the idea of taking Advil and similar painkillers every time you feel that pounding begin. This is especially true if you make a point to only put natural and pure things in your body. Taking a pharmaceutical just doesn’t fit into your holistic lifestyle. Luckily, there are drug-free ways to cure a headache.

headache relief natural

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Try acupuncture

Acupuncture is a technique from traditional Chinese medicine that has gained popularity around the world. Focused on correcting energy imbalances in the body, it has been found to be as effective as medication in those with migraines

headache relief natural

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Reduce the booze

You may think, “I barely drink!” but even a little bit of alcohol can cause cluster headaches for some individuals as it causes blood vessels to expand. If you drink regularly, try removing booze from your life and see what happens.

headache relief natural

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Sleep the right amount

Getting less than six hours of sleep per night can increase the frequency and severity of headaches. That being said, over-sleeping (as we often do on weekends) can also lead to headaches. Try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night to keep headaches at bay.

headache relief natural

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Or remove caffeine

Unfortunately, for some individuals caffeine isn’t the cure but the issue—especially if they’ve become addicted to the stuff. Try weaning yourself off caffeine if you drink a lot of it. Your headaches may get worse at first, but they may eventually go away.

headache relief natural

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Buy nitrite and nitrate-free food

Nitrites and nitrates are found in cured and processed meats like hot dogs, sausages, and salami. But for many individuals, they can be headache triggers. If you make sandwiches to take to work every day with cured meats, this could be your issue.

headache relief natural

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Stretch regularly

Stretching regularly can cut back on something called referred pain—pain that exists in a location other than where it began. For many, that can be a body pain that moves to the head. Stretching regularly can prevent this type of headache.