Have you ever asked yourself ‘why do I have a headache’ when you’ve been in the house all day? It could be caused by external or internal factors including physical health deficiencies, bright light, loud noises, or allergens and strong odors.

At Lit Living, we spend a lot of time in-store helping you choose the perfect lighting for your home or space. Quality lighting can make a significant difference in your overall physical, mental, and emotional health. We realize lighting is not the only way to minimize the number of headaches you get at home; therefore, we have searched for some other triggers. It is our goal to help you feel better and live a healthier life.

Discover how you can reduce the number of headaches you get at home by finding what headache triggers you experience consistently within the walls of your home. The following are common triggers to change or avoid to prevent future pain.

Physical Health and Attributes

Participating in consistent physical exercise and drinking enough water everyday can help minimize the flooding question of ‘why do I have a headache’? Your physical health and attributes play a major role in how your body functions.

Headaches might be caused by light sensitivity; therefore, the color of your eyes could influence whether or not you get a pounding feeling and pain inside your head. If you have lighter colored eyes you might be more prone to experience light sensitivity in environmental situations like bright sunlight. A darker eye color, on the other hand, has more pigment which makes it so there is some protection against harsh lighting environments.

Recommendations for physical health:

• Stay hydrated by drinking water every day to prevent headache pain by listening to your body
• Get a sufficient amount of sleep every night and do not sleep in odd positions to avoid muscle spasms, which cause headaches
• Participate in physical exercise regularly and decrease inflammation applying a cold compress to your head or neck

Light

Different types of light give off different levels of intensity, impacting your overall health. Flickering, bright, glaring, and fluorescent lights can cause sensitivities from repeated exposure and leave you wondering “why do I have a headache?”

Some additional physical and emotional symptoms you might develop from extreme light exposure include but are not limited to: eye pain, blurred vision, eye inflammation, eye strain, dizziness, anxiety, depression, and many other symptoms.

The type of light also plays a factor in how your eyes react and whether or not you get a headache. Blue, white, red, or amber light can increase intensity; whereas, green light can decrease it.

Everyday exposure to electronic screens, overhead lights, and even sunlight, can become headache triggers. Evaluate how much light you are absorbing.

Suggestions for eye relief:

• Turn down mobile phone, tablet, or computer screen brightness and limit electronic use
• Change the light bulbs used in your home to LED or softer light options
• Implement dimmer switches or use candle light
• Install blinds, shutters, or shades on your windows to filter natural light at peak daylight times

Sound

Repetitive sounds or continuous noise can influence whether or not your head starts pounding. It could even leave you asking: “why do I have a headache?” because sometimes it is relentless. You would do anything to seek relief. White noise is everywhere.

Living in a world full of chatter, construction, and children it can be difficult to tune it all out and be productive. Unnoticed most of the time, the voices on the television shout throughout your home, followed by the videos streamed on social media, and the natural clicks of the clock – noise is overwhelming, not just loud.

Recommendations for ear relief:

• Alone time – quiet time, read a book or participate in a concentration activity to distract your mind from the pain
• Turn the television or streaming services
• Wear headphones or listen to calming music to tune out loud noises when trying to focus

Airborne Allergens and Smells

Seasonal factors, such as airborne allergens can leave you asking ‘why do I have a headache?”

You could be getting a headache from hay fever, food allergies, or odors throughout your home. Specific allergens can have symptoms similar to a sinus infection or cold; however, it can be minimized by staying inside when the pollen is in season and deep cleaning your home.

Consistently remove mold spores, pollen, dust, dirt, and pet dander by cleaning your house and get you back to enjoying your daily routine. Remember to check the air flow throughout your house as well by switching out your filters.

Odors can influence a pounding head. Empty the trash, do laundry, and use unscented household products regularly to reduce headaches caused by smells. You can get a headache from odors because the pain receptors in the brain become stimulated causing them to dilate or swell, arousing the nervous system and making you experience pain, nausea, or sickness.

Recommendations for allergen and nose relief:

• Ditch hidden allergens including dust and mites by applying a mattress cover to your bed
• Wash your hands regularly, especially if you have an indoor pet or are exposed to one
• Implement or add an air purifier to your bedroom or common spaces to filter out dust, dirt, mold, bacteria, and other allergens
• Use fragrance-free lotions, soaps, and perfumes and minimize the number of air fresheners within your home

Headache triggers are different for everyone, so find what works best for you and free yourself from asking: ‘why do I have a headache?’ Seek relief by making small changes throughout your home.

To reduce the number of headaches you experience try implementing hygge, a Danish principle, into your home. Add lighting systems that imitate the natural light cycle of the sun. Through implementing strategic lighting fixtures throughout your home, depending on the time of day will improve your health by making living spaces more enjoyable and comfortable.

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Visit Lit Living to start adding to a wishlist or view the hundreds of light fixtures we have in stock. We want to help you find the right lighting, as it should do more than just brighten your home. Lit Living can assist you in implementing the perfect lighting to improve your overall health. Visit a showroom at one of our locations for a local lighting experience or shop online.

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