If you’re like me, you are no stranger to headaches. Up to eighty percent of all adults experience tension headaches. Call them what you will: stress headaches, daily headaches, muscle contraction headaches — they all stink.
I used to get tension headaches frequently in my last job, and I blamed them on a lot of things. It was the fluorescent lights. It was the pressure of the deadlines. It was the critical coworkers. Tension headaches are usually caused by environmental or internal stress, and I was getting both at the office.
You may get your tension headaches infrequently — maybe less than five times a month. Tension headaches are considered episodic if you have them less than fifteen days out of any given month. If you have a tension headache more than fifteen days out of the month, they are considered chronic. At my last job, the headaches were definitely chronic. They would usually start in the afternoon, after my two o’clock lunch break. The timing coincided with my switch from regular dimmer lighting to the harsh fluorescents, and with the switch in duties — from working solo to dealing with assignments coming from all different directions.
If you experience tension headaches, you may also have symptoms like:
- General muscle aches
- A feeling of chronic fatigue
- Irritability
- Lack of concentration
- Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
- Waking up with a headache
- Mild sensitivity to noise or light
Treating a tension headache is relatively easy. I kept a giant-sized bottle of Excedrin at my desk. Nonprescription pain relievers may be your best bet for relieving the pain of a tension headache. However, you may want to look at the source of the tension and try to manage that, too. If the lights at work are the culprit, you may want to ask about moving your desk to a different spot, maybe near a window for natural light. If people are driving you nuts, a short mental health break — like a walk around the parking lot or a run to the coffee shop for a treat — may help stave off the headache.
It isn’t always easy to stay serene and pain-free. But I’m pleased to report that since changing jobs, my tension headaches have decreased dramatically. So there’s always hope for your tension headaches, too.
Need more help managing a stressful situation? The Mental Health Blog is a good place to start!