The arrival of summer is longed for by many people because of the high temperatures, the holidays and the desire to make plans with friends and family, but it entails a factor to consider: the heat. The increase in temperatures leads to a feeling of heat that, in some cases, affects health causing different types of discomfort such as headache.
Headaches are often downplayed, but it is important to avoid them or, at least, know how to relieve them. Even more so when they are caused by heat, since during the summer it is difficult for it to disappear easily. To find out how to remove the heat headache and why this discomfort occurs due to rising temperatures, at we recommend that you continue reading this article.
Why it gives a headache when it's hot
Heat is one of the causes of headache, but its effect is much greater because it acts in conjunction with other factors linked to the time of year such as holidays, summer and travel. All this leads to a series of decisive triggers in headache such as the following:
- Changes in diet: during the summer, celebrations and parties are more frequent. Because of this, alcohol consumption increases and the risk of dehydration increases.
- Exercise without a visor: the practice of moderate or intense sport without protection from the sun's rays such as visors, hats or sunglasses can produce a contraction of the frontal muscles (by frowning) as cranial. These contractions can lead to headaches and trigger headaches such as migraine attacks.
- Vasodilation: many of the headaches you suffer in summer are due to this mechanism, since the blood vessels increase in diameter due to different factors such as heat.
- Other factors of summer: the increase or reduction of sleep hours (typical triggers), relaxation on vacation after accumulated work stress or irregularity in compliance with preventive treatment of migraines are also aspects that promote headache when it is hot.
Avoid sudden changes in temperature
Although emergencies to enter air-conditioned premises due to the sensation of heat usually prevail, you must avoid very sudden temperature changes. Going from intense heat to the cold that air conditioners give off or vice versa can cause the appearance of headache and dizziness.
Refresh the house
Lowering the blinds and leaving the home in darkness is highly recommended during the hours of great sunshine. Use fans or air conditioners to cool off, especially to sleep on the hottest nights. In this way, you will ensure that the heat does not affect your rest excessively.
We recommend this other article on How to cool the house without air conditioning.
Protect yourself from sun exposure
The use of hats, caps and wide clothes of light colors (dark tones concentrate more heat) serves to protect from the sun. When you go outside, try to avoid the hottest hours. Walk through shaded areas for as long as possible.
For the eyes, wear sunglasses that protect you from the impact of the sun's rays to avoid an increase in intraocular pressure that triggers symptoms such as headache. On the beach the headache is frequent, so try not to expose yourself much to the sun using an umbrella. Getting your neck and forehead wet is also effective in lowering your body temperature.
Rest properly
During the summer, especially in the weeks of vacation, the usual schedules usually change. The routine disappears, you spend more nights and spend a lot of time sightseeing, in the pool or on the beach.
However, in we recommend that you try to maintain the schedules of the rest of the year and sleep the necessary hours. In addition, whenever you consider it appropriate, take the opportunity to take a small nap (about 15 minutes) on the sofa or in an armchair. It is also advisable to practice some sport or physical activity, as it helps to rest better.
In this other article we explain what to do to sleep well.
Hydrate yourself enough
Good hydration is an essential factor to avoid heat headaches. Drink about 2.5 liters of water every day in small amounts and many times. Keep in mind that this is one of the main causes of heat headache in children, so you can avoid it by constant hydration.
Eat properly
To avoid dehydration and beat the heat, consuming fresh foods such as fruits, salads and gazpacho is a good way to do this. In this other article we teach you how to make a good gazpacho step by step.
Regarding headache, it is important to remove from the diet foods that contain nitrates, such as sausages and sausages and those that have tyramine in their composition (chocolate, some nuts or cheese). It is also advisable to eliminate foods with monosodium glutamate, that is, an additive frequent in precooked or packaged foods and that is identified by the code E-621.
