7 Tips For Living Headache-Free (Including The Easiest Solution)

Experiencing an occasional headache is common, but two or more per week is not normal. The Cleveland Clinic says that 96% of people have had a headache at least once. Who on Earth are the 4% that never do, and what’s their secret? Alas, the Cleveland Clinic doesn’t divulge that information. What is known, however, is that when the body is functioning in perfect homeostasis (balance), headaches are mostly nonexistent. 

Unfortunately, many things can disrupt homeostasis: stress, poor diet, environmental pollution, and poor posture. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1 in 20 people experience headaches daily, or nearly every day. 

This article will expand on the factors contributing to headaches and review ways to prevent them. If your headaches are primarily caused by poor posture and musculoskeletal imbalances, keep reading because a simple, minutes-a-day research-backed solution endorsed by leading neurosurgeons will be revealed.

Why Does Poor Posture Cause Headaches?

It’s obvious why “tech neck” causes poor posture. But why does it cause headaches? There are a few reasons why. For starters, excessive forward neck posture increases strain on the cervical spine muscles, particularly the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull and upper trapezius muscles (the upper back muscles). This persistent muscular tension can trigger myofascial (connective tissue) pain and discomfort.

In addition, tech neck disrupts the natural curvature of the spine and places excessive stress on the intervertebral discs, facet joints, and ligaments. This altered biomechanical alignment can result in chronic irritation, inflammation, and structural changes within the cervical spine, contributing to headaches. 

Not only that, forward head posture reduces blood flow to the brain by impinging on the blood vessels that traverse the neck. Reduced blood flow and compromised vascular supply may result in ischemia or insufficient oxygen delivery to the brain, triggering vascular headaches. Moreover, the compression of nerves in the cervical spine may contribute to the development of cervicogenic headaches. These are headaches that are present on one side. The pain is referred from bony structures or soft tissues of the neck. It is a common chronic and recurrent headache that usually starts after neck movement and is usually accompanied by a reduced range of motion of the neck. 

Finally, poor posture can cause headaches because of trigger points—a taut band of painful-to-the-touch muscle tissue—and increased pain sensitivity, the latter of which is caused by the activation of “nociceptive pathways.” These nerve pathways in the body transmit signals related to tissue damage or potential harm to the brain, signaling the perception of pain.

The Minutes-A-Day -Home Solution For Posture-Induced Headaches

Sure, stress-management techniques such as meditation and deep breathing should be a part of your general wellness plan. These stress-reduction methods may help reduce the frequency or severity of headaches. 

In addition to practicing stress-management techniques, there’s also a research-backed patented technology called Expanding Ellipsoidal Decompression (EED®). This technology, available in Posture Pump® Disc Hydrators®, provides high-level joint separation via the expansion of elliptical air cells, which help restore the normal lordotic curvature of the neck and lower back. 

Daily 5-15 minute use of a Posture Pump® device can improve spinal alignment and vertebral disc hydration, potentially leading to fewer headache episodes or reduced discomfort. Keep reading to learn more about Posture Pump® devices and other causes of headaches…

Stay Hydrated

Posture Pump® improves hydration levels of the vertebral discs. When the discs of your spinal column are better hydrated, blood flow and nutrient exchange in the surrounding tissues are improved. This may indirectly contribute to headache prevention by ensuring adequate oxygen and nutrient supply to the head and neck region.

But that’s not the hydration you’re probably thinking of. Rather, by hydration, we’re talking, of course, about the amount of water you consume. So, can drinking lots more water improve disc hydration, and prevent headaches? 

Unfortunately, there’s a dearth of data that shows causation between increasing water intake and disc hydration and reduced headache frequency or severity. This is because when you drink water, the liquid doesn't necessarily reach the intervertebral discs in a way that significantly affects their hydration. The discs receive nutrients primarily through diffusion from surrounding blood vessels rather than direct water intake.

That said, adequate hydration is essential for maintaining the body's overall health, including the spine. Dehydration is a common trigger for headaches and oftentimes is a stand-alone cause of discomfort. So, start each day by drinking a tall glass of water and take sips frequently throughout the day.

Eat Frequently

Some people go several hours before eating, either because they aren’t hungry or too busy. However, going too long without eating can lead to unstable blood sugar levels, which may trigger headaches. Try eating three well-balanced meals (non-starchy carbohydrates, protein, and natural fat) no more than 5 hours apart. 

Get Enough Sleep

Easier said than done for the approximately one-third of U.S. adults who say they don’t get the recommended amount of sleep, according to the CDC. So, what’s the connection between lack of sleep and headaches? Sleep deprivation reduces neural plasticity. This is the ability of the brain to reorganize and repair itself. The connection between reduced neural plasticity and headaches isn’t clear-cut. However, one theory suggests that a lack of sleep causes the nervous system to be more sensitive to pain. In addition, the psychological stress that arises from chronic poor sleep quality may trigger headaches. 

Limit Caffeine Intake

Drinking coffee can sharpen your focus—and may even help fight headaches. In fact, according to a peer-reviewed study in a headache journal, moderate caffeine consumption can have mild analgesic properties for headache pain. However, “chronic repetitive exposures to caffeine increase the risks for the development of analgesic-overuse headaches and chronic daily headaches,” the study concludes. 

Limit Screen Time

Even if you’re conscious of your posture while staring at your smartphone or laptop, staring at a screen for a long time can trigger headaches. A study in BMC Medical Education concludes, “Increased screen time exposure is linked with increased headache and migraine reporting among students.” 

Take regular breaks from electronic devices to reduce eye strain and prevent digital eye strain headaches. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Purchase A Posture Pump®

No matter how frequently you experience headaches or how long you have suffered from them, a Posture Pump® Disc Hydrator® may be the best investment you can make. This is especially true if your headaches are caused by poor postural alignment or mental stress.  

With improvement felt in as little as 5-15 minutes per day from the comfort of your home, Posture Pump® uses a patented technology called Expanding Ellipsoidal Decompression (EED®), which helps to decompress and shape your neck and back's natural postural curves and hydrates the discs and joints. Meticulously researched and endorsed by the world-renowned neurosurgeon, C. Norman Shealy, M.D., the inventor of the modern TENS unit, Posture Pump® is portable, lightweight, and easy to travel with.