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Cortisol Reduction: Natural Ways To Relieve Stress-Related Headaches

30 January 2015 by Joann Dunn

Headaches can be irritating, but also very painful. There are a few natural ways to relieve your stress-related headache by reducing cortisol levels. And you may be able to do some of the things at home.

Get a Massage

Massages have been scientifically proven to help relieve headaches. A massage therapist or chiropractor (such as one from Davidson Chiropractic Clinic) is able to stimulate your brain and decrease your production of cortisol. Cortisol is a neurotransmitter that is associated with stress and may relieve headaches. Decreasing your cortisol levels should also help slow your heart rate. This phenomenon should help you feel relaxed. You can have a professional massage therapist come to your home, but you can also try massaging techniques yourself. You can try rubbing your temples, or you can have a partner massage your neck, shoulder or back.

Try Aerobics

Consider brisk walking, swimming or biking, as this may help reduce migraines. Studies have shown that an increase in physical activity relieves stress by reducing your cortisol levels. Cortisol naturally occurs in your body to help you during stressful situations, such as a tiger running after you. The problem is that continuous stress makes your body believe that a tiger is running after nonstop, which creates an excessive amount of cortisol. But physical activity will reduce cortisol as your body remains in a relaxed state.

Use Peppermint Oil 

Peppermint contains eugenol, which is a calming ingredient that may relax you and eliminate your pain. It stimulates your brain and helps increase blood circulation. Your brain should feel better with an increase of oxygen due to the improvement of blood circulation.

Peppermint can be used a few ways to help relieve your headache. You can hold the bottle near your nose and take a quick sniff. You can also mix it with olive oil or coconut oil, and massage this on your temples. You can mix one drop in a tablespoon of the aforementioned oils. You should not repeatedly sniff the bottle, as this may cause dizziness. If sniffing once or twice every few hours does not work. Then the dilution method may be the best way to go.

Eat Chocolate

Chocolate should help alleviate your headache by canceling out cortisol and feelings of pain. Chocolate helps you because it contains polyphenols and anandamide. Anandamide is a precursor to several neurotransmitters that help increase good feelings like serotonin. Serotonin should help cancel out the headache that you are having. Polyphenols are enemies of free-radicals. Free-radicals could be responsible for the cellular damage that may be causing the headache. 

As you can see, getting rid of your headache can be done naturally and simply. 

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