3 Reasons You Get Headaches During Your Period (And What You Can Do About Them) Headaches during your period can be quite a nuisance. From the throbbing pain to the difficulty concentrating, it can interfere with your everyday life.
Fortunately, there are reasons why you may experience these headaches and ways to manage them.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the 3 most common causes of headaches during your period, their symptoms, and what you can do about them. Keep reading to learn more.
3 Reasons You Get Headaches During Your Period (And What You Can Do About Them)
1) Dehydration
One of the main causes of headaches during your period is dehydration. When you don’t drink enough water, your body starts to struggle to replenish its fluid supply.
This can lead to dehydration, which can cause a headache.
What to do
The best way to prevent this is to make sure you’re drinking enough water before, during, and after your period.
Try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, and if you have an especially heavy flow, drink even more.
Headache is just one of the symptoms of dehydration. Other signs include dizziness, fatigue, feeling faint, a dry mouth, and increased thirst.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, the best way to treat them is to drink plenty of fluids. Make sure to hydrate regularly throughout the day, not just when you feel thirsty.
If you’re struggling to get enough fluids in, try adding fruits and vegetables that are high in water content to your diet, such as watermelon, cucumber, and celery.
2) Caffeine Withdrawal
Caffeine withdrawal is another common cause of headaches during your period. Caffeine can act as a mild pain reliever, and when you decrease or stop your caffeine intake, it can cause a headache.
This is especially true if you’re used to drinking caffeinated beverages regularly, such as coffee or tea.
If you normally drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, cutting down or eliminating them entirely may help ease your headache.
The symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and, of course, headaches.
These symptoms usually peak about 24-48 hours after you stop consuming caffeine and may last for several days.
What to do
If you think that caffeine withdrawal is causing your headaches, the best way to prevent them is to reduce your intake of caffeinated beverages slowly over time.
Start by cutting out one caffeinated drink per day and gradually reducing it until you have eliminated it completely.
You can also try replacing your caffeinated drinks with herbal teas or decaffeinated versions of your favorite drinks.
3) Hormonal Imbalance
Headaches during your period can be caused by a hormonal imbalance in your body. The hormones progesterone and estrogen are responsible for controlling your menstrual cycle, but they can also cause headaches when they are out of balance.
When your levels of these hormones fluctuate during your cycle, it can lead to an increase in head pain.
The symptoms associated with a hormonal imbalance vary from woman to woman, but the most common include tension headaches, migraine headaches, and facial pain. Some women also report feeling dizzy or having blurred vision.
What to do
If you think your headaches are being caused by a hormonal imbalance, talk to your doctor about treatments that may help.
Hormonal birth control pills can help to regulate hormone levels, as can lifestyle changes such as reducing stress and getting enough rest.
Supplements such as magnesium, vitamin B6, and omega-3 fatty acids may also help to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches.
