5 Common Headache Triggers (TopHealth)

Headache sufferers spend more than $4 billion a year on over-the-counter pain relievers.

But prevention costs you NOTHING. What follows is the top five list of culprits:

1. Stress - DUH. Relief? Take 30 minutes a day to daydream, meditate or relax. And, the wonderful old stand by EXERCISE.

2. Eyestrain. Take occasional "eye breaks" by gazing out a window. And, since eye exams for those of us insured with The Medical Trust, get a annual eye exam, It costs you $0 in 2010.

3. Diet. Not the amount of food you eat but what is in the food you eat. Caffeine, red wine, processed meats, chocolate (Say it ain't so), cheese, citrus, lentils, snow peas.

4. Sitting, not that you sit alot, but how you sit, hunched over or talking on the phone a long time. This leads to tensed muscles and headaches. Stretch, shift, walk and talk.

5. Sleep, too little too much. Pay attention to your internal clock. Rise and retire at the same time each day.