Stress is the most commonly recognized trigger of headaches. It can be physical or emotional. It can be good or bad.
Common Headache Types by Location
Pain location | Most common cause |
---|---|
Top of your head “Hair band” area | Tension headache |
Forehead Cheeks Behind both eyes | Tension headache Migraine |
Behind one eye | Cluster headache |
Temples | Tension headache |
A number of sleep or health disorders, as well as personal habits, can trigger a headache when you wake up. Sleep apnea, migraine, and lack of sleep are common culprits. However, teeth grinding, alcohol use, and certain medications can also cause you to wake up with a headache.
It’s not a coincidence — headaches are more likely to occur when you’re stressed. Stress is a common trigger of tension-type headaches and migraine. It can also trigger other types of headaches or make them worse. Stress is a particularly common headache trigger in children and young adults.
Mental or behavioral symptoms include:- Being more emotional than usual.
The link between emotional abuse and migraines
Headaches are about three times more common in women than men. While all forms of childhood maltreatment have been shown to be linked to migraines, the strongest and most significant link is with emotional abuse.
What Are Tension Headaches? Tension headaches are dull pain, tightness, or pressure around your forehead or the back of your head and neck. Some people say it feels like a clamp squeezing their skull. They’re also called stress headaches, and they’re the most common type for adults.
There are several hundred types of headaches, but there are four very common types: sinus, tension, migraine, and cluster.
Forehead. If you’re experiencing a headache located in the forehead, it may be another sign of a tension headache. If the pain is only affecting one side of the forehead it may be an indicator of a migraine or cluster headache. Forehead headaches are also commonly caused by infection of the Frontal sinus.
Primary vs.
A red flag that a headache could be indicative of a medical issue is if it is a new or unusual headache — for example, one that causes someone to wake up at night, or one that is associated with changes in position. Another red flag is if the headache is accompanied by other symptoms, such as weight loss.
Hypnic headaches are a rare type of headache that occurs during sleep and wakes the person up, which is why they’ve earned the nickname “alarm-clock headaches2“. The pain can keep people up for at least 15 minutes, if not longer. People who experience hypnic headaches typically have them several times a week.
A headache on the left side may result from migraine, vasculitis, cluster headaches, or other types. Often, a person can treat a headache at home with over-the-counter remedies and rest. However, if headaches are severe, persistent, or otherwise concerning, contact a healthcare professional.
gently massaging the head and neck muscles to reduce tension. placing a warm or cool pack on the affected area to help relieve pressure and lessen muscle tension. taking over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. taking triptans, a prescription medication that aims to treat …
Many people associate crying with feeling sad and making them feel worse, but in reality, crying can help improve your mood - emotional tears release stress hormones. Your stress level lowers when you cry, which can help you sleep better and strengthen your immune system.
Warnings signs of stress in adults may include:- Crying spells or bursts of anger.
Difficulty eating.
Losing interest in daily activities.
Increasing physical distress symptoms such as headaches or stomach pains.
Fatigue.
Feeling guilty, helpless, or hopeless.
Avoiding family and friends.
How does stress affect a woman’s health?- Depression and anxiety. Women have higher rates of these conditions and other psychological disorders including panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder than men.
Heart problems.
Headaches and migraines.
Obesity.
Bowel problems.
Pregnancy issues.
Menstrual problems.
The five main warning signs of mental illness are as follows:- Excessive paranoia, worry, or anxiety.
Long-lasting sadness or irritability.
Extreme changes in moods.
Social withdrawal.
Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping pattern.
A post-traumatic headache that feels like a tension-type headache can have symptoms that are mild to moderate. The headache pain won’t pulse and you won’t have nausea or vomiting. You could be sensitive to light or sound. Post-traumatic headaches can be constant or only happen every once in a while.
Symptoms of a tension headache may include: tense muscles around the neck, head, and face. tender neck, shoulders, and scalp. squeezing pain around the head that may feel like a tight band.
Conditions that might cause nonprimary chronic daily headaches include: Inflammation or other problems with the blood vessels in and around the brain, including stroke. Infections, such as meningitis. Intracranial pressure that’s either too high or too low.
It can also cause tenderness in the scalp neck and shoulder muscles. If you struggle from migraines, as above, make sure you’re sleeping on your back or on your side. They’re the best positions, generally speaking, to support your body through sleep sans pain.
Tension headaches
These are the most common types of headaches. They usually cause a dull pain on both sides of your head or across the front of your head, behind your eyes. Your shoulders and neck may also hurt. Tension headaches might last 20 minutes to a few hours.
Headache is one of the earliest and most common symptoms during the acute phase of COVID-19; characteristically it appears as oppressive pain in the upper/frontal part of the head and affects between 14 and 60% of patients during the acute COVID-19 phase [13, 14].
Every patient’s pain experience is unique, but headaches associated with brain tumors tend to be constant and are worse at night or in the early morning. They are often described as dull, “pressure-type” headaches, though some patients also experience sharp or “stabbing” pain.
Some primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors, including:- Alcohol, particularly red wine.
Certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates.
Changes in sleep or lack of sleep.
Poor posture.
Skipped meals.
Stress.