Popping a tylenol or ibuprofin will take the edge off of a headache, but it won’t do anything to address the root cause. This means that those headaches will keep coming! Instead, let’s take a look at some tricks that – when used on a regular basis – can knock those headaches out at the root.
Since many of us work with pregnant and postpartum clients, all of these recommendations below are safe and effective for the entire perinatal period. They are also great for children, elderly family members, and anyone in between!
#1. Increase water intake
As with many pregnancy ailments, our first consideration should be water intake. Dehydration-induced headaches are common in the summer, but we also see this frequently in the winter. With the increase in blood volume during pregnancy, more fluids are needed. Making milk during breastfeeding also requires an increase in fluids. During summer months, we often feel hot and that triggers the reminder to drink water. However, without this sweaty reminder in the winter, it’s easy to forget.
#2. 20-30 minutes Daily Movement
Sitting all day creates stagnation in the body. Muscles become tight and sore. Fascia gets “sticky” and begins to tug rather than allow freedom of movement. Movement not only gets our blood pumping to any areas that need it, it also loosens up these areas of tension and tightness. Combined with deep breathing and time outdoors, this is the perfect stress busting moment to add to each day.
Yoga and other forms of stretching can also be used ease tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back. While YouTube videos abound, consider signing up for a class to increase the chances of keeping it in your regular routine.
#3. Reduce Screen time
Blue light from phones and other screens are well known for stimulating alertness the brain. While a yellow-light night setting helps, it is still a light shining directly in the face. What is being shown on the screen is most likely keeping the mind racing, as well. When done within an hour of bedtime, this can have serious impacts on our sleep. In turn, lack of quality sleep is a common contributor to chronic headaches.
The constant external input from screens also prevents our brains from processing information and emotions from our day. It is impossible to hear your own thoughts or even recognize what’s going on in your own head. Over time, this leads to increased stress and anxiety – both triggers for more headaches.
From a purely physical aspect, our eyes were designed to focus at varying distances throughout the day. By focusing only close up for hours at a time, we create tension in our eye muscles leading to fatigue. Taking regular breaks to gaze off into the distance will help to reduce eye strain headaches as well as prevent harm to our vision long-term.
#4. Reduce Caffeine and alcohol
I know. This one is no fun! But it can have a huge impact. Particularly when sleep disturbances are involved, reducing or eliminating caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco can produce almost immediate improvement.
Consider replacing coffee with tea. Black tea has slightly less caffeine than coffee, but it is chemically different and has less negative effects on stress hormones and sleep cycles. There are also tea blends like Teeccino made with heavier herbs and roots to provide a fuller body to the tea that satisfies many coffee lovers.
See our post on Mocktails for fun alcohol-free ideas! My most recent favorite is seltzer water on ice with a generous squeeze of lime and a muddled peppermint sprig. It’s so refreshing!
#5. Steam Inhalation
Steam is especially helpful if your headache is due to congestion from illness or allergies. The steam helps to break up the mucus so it can be expelled from your sinuses. The traditional way to accomplish steam inhalation is to fill a sink with piping hot water. If your water heater doesn’t get hot enough, you can fill the sink with boiling water from a tea pot or a pot on the stove. Lean over the sink and cover your head with a towel to trap the steam. Breathe in deeply through your nose. For chest congestion, breathe deeply through the mouth until lungs are as full as possible, hold momentarily, then exhale.
Steam inhalation can also be done in the shower by cupping your hands around your nose and mouth as you stand under the water. It can also be accomplished by standing over the pot of water on the stove or the hot tea pot. In any of these situations, be very careful of the steam temperature to avoid burns. And, of course, keep your towel away from any heating elements if you use the pot-on-the-stove method.
Consider adding essential oils to your hot water for increased effect. Peppermint or eucalyptus create an easier feeling of breathing, and peppermint is also a wonderful headache remedy. Lavender and citrus oils are calming and relaxing, and they blend well with either of the previous oils. Whole herbs can also be used. Place them in a tea bag or tie in a piece of cheese cloth for easy cleanup.
#6. Inhale Lavender or Peppermint oil
As mentioned in #5, there are a number of essential oils that are useful for headaches. Lavender and peppermint are two of the most safe and effective options. (*Avoid regular inhalation of peppermint essential oil if breastfeeding.) They can be combined with steam, as above, or used effectively on their own. Here are a few easy ways to use essential oils in your home:
Light bulb – a few drops of essential oil are added directly to a lightbulb, allowing the heat to disperse the aroma. There is a potential that the oil will break a hot bulb, or may burn the oil. Preferred method is to apply the essential oil to a part of the lamp near the bulb that will get warm, but not as hot as the bulb. Be aware that some oils have a color and will stain light colored plastic, fabric or ceramic.
Boiling – a few drops of essential oil are added to a simmering pot of water. This method is not a slow, steady release of aroma. Rather, it is a quick burst. The biggest risk is allowing all of the water to boil away and burning the pan. However, since all of the volatile oils are released in the first few minutes, there is no reason to allow the water to continue boiling.
Under the pillow – a favorite nighttime trick, placing a couple of drops under the pillow allows inhalation without filling the entire room with the essential oil and without accidentally getting it on your skin while sleeping. This technique is wonderful for both children and adults. It is important to note, that this won’t fill the room or create a strong scent. It doesn’t need to be overpowering in order to work. In fact in some remedies, the scent doesn’t even need to be noticeable to be effective.
#7. Add turmeric to food or chai daily
Turmeric is a super-herb. It should be wearing a mask and cape at all times! A close cousin of ginger, turmeric is also antiviral, but its main benefit is its anti-inflammatory properties. So, turmeric is great for sinus pain, headaches, back aches, and other aches & pains, because it helps relieve the inflamed tissues. You can buy turmeric in capsules, tinctures, fresh, or powdered. But it’s as easy as adding 1/4 teaspoon of the powder to your food or tea each day. Try it in eggs, mixed vegetables, sauces & soups, rice, or even in oatmeal with some cinnamon and clove for a complex, savory flavor.
I love including turmeric in my morning tea! Steeping the fresh or powdered turmeric in a hot drink with a lipid – like milk or a bit of coconut oil – will boost its effectiveness. There is a simplified version of this recipe in my Colds & Flus During Pregnancy post. If you prefer personalized blending, try the recipe below:
DIY Turmeric Chai
This spice blend was designed to be used with any tea of your choice. Mix up a big batch of the chai spices, and you can have it with your black tea in the morning, your green tea in the afternoon and your rooibos after dinner. I’ve written the recipe in “parts” so that you can make as large or small a batch as you wish. 1 teaspoon = 1 part will make you a small batch to start out with.
To prepare the spice blend:
1 part cloves
1 part dried ginger root (not powdered*)
1 part dried turmeric root (not powdered*)
1/2 part cardamom, hulled inner seeds (not the whole pods)
1/2 part whole allspice
4 parts cinnamon chips
Measure all the spices into an airtight container and keep close by your tea for convenience – you’ll be wanting to use this a lot!
To prepare the tea:
1 tea bag of your choice (or 1 tsp of loose tea)
Chai spice mix
Milk (dairy, almond, oat, or coconut)
Sweetener (sugar, honey, or stevia glycerite drops work well)
For each cup of black or rooibos tea, add a scant teaspoon of the mix. Steep along with the tea for 5 minutes. Strain and add plenty of milk and sweetener. For green tea, you can use slightly less of the mix and steep for only 2-3 minutes.
*If powdered herbs are all you can find, consider placing them in a muslin, reusable tea bag in order to steep without mess. Alternatively, the tea can be strained through cheesecloth or other extremely fine mesh before drinking.
#8. Massage or chiropractic Care
A leading cause of headaches is tension. A good massage therapist or chiropractor can be incredibly helpful with stopping tension headaches at the root. If this is not a feasible option due to finances or available resources, getting a massage from a partner and practicing daily stress reduction can also have a positive impact.
If you are a birth professional working with a pregnant or postpartum client, you may also wish to discuss body positioning. During pregnancy, Optimal Fetal Positioning can be helpful to improve posture that will ease pain for the client and may also help the baby remain in an optimal position for labor. For breastfeeding, placing a pillow under the nursing pillow can help lift a newborn up to the breast and reduce the temptation to hunch over the baby. The “laid back” nursing position is also ideal for protecting body posture and allowing the baby to take the lead on latching.
Use your knowledge to help others
The information in this post is taken from our Perinatal Wellness Professional certification course. Become a perinatal wellness expert today and guide expectant families toward better physical and mental health!
Part nutritionist, part herbalist, part health coach – all in one certification!e
- Ali, Babar, et. al. “Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review”, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, August 2015.
- Haupert, Chris, MD, “Computer Vision Syndrome”, Cedars Sinai. Accessed Jan. 2022. https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/c/computer-vision-syndrome.html
- McCall, Pete, “Making the Connection: The Latest Research on Fascia”, ACE Fitness. https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/certified/september-2018/7069/making-the-connection-the-latest-research-on-fascia
- Sun, Jia, et.al. “Role of curcumin in the management of pathological pain”, Phytomedicine, Volume 48, September 2018
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