Six Ways to Avoid Headaches This Summer by Rona Cherry l Healthy Living Tips l How to Live Without Headaches

Headache Trigger #1: Heat

According to a Harvard University study of more than 7,000 emergency room patients diagnosed with headaches, your headache risk jumps 7.5 percent each time the temperature rises by 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat may cause the blood vessels in your head to expand and press up against nerve endings that surround the blood vessels, causing pain from minor to migraine-strength, says Alexander Mauskop, M.D., neurologist and director of the New York Headache Center.

What to do: While you can’t change the weather, on especially sweltering days it’s important to stay properly hydrated, spend most of your time in a cool indoor space or outdoors in the shade or water. To soothe an ache, apply a cold compress to the base of your neck.

Headache Trigger #3: Dehydration

Simply put, dehydration means you are losing more water than you are taking in. Mild dehydration may cause headaches at any time of year, but in hot and humid weather, our bodies lose fluids at a faster rate and headaches can become more prevalent.

What to do: Drink plenty of liquids - at least eight glasses of water, juice or other fluids a day, though the amount can vary depending on your size and how much you exercise, says Dr. Mauskop. Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables - such as watermelon, mango, or cucumber - are mostly water and count toward your fluid intake. A good indicator of your hydration levels is the color of your urine. It should be nearly colorless or look like lemonade. Dark yellow or amber colored urine could be a sign of dehydration.