Tension headaches are caused by anxiety, nervous tension, eyestrain, poor seating position, and tight muscles in the shoulders and neck and migraine headaches are caused by expansion of blood vessels in your head.

Headaches can also be caused by colds or flu, or even digestive problems. If you don’t want to take over the counter pain remedies or see your doctor here are 5 effective natural remedies to chase the headache away easily:

Note: If your headaches persist be sure to make an appointment with your doctor.

• To tackle tension headache, massage your temples with some lavender essential oil. Also, you can place your fingers at the top of your spinal column, where your neck meets the skull. Then move your fingers out 5 cm along the base of your skull until you find a small little indentation on either side. Apply firm pressure with the pads of your fingers, making a small rotating motion with your fingers. It will feel slightly tender as you apply the pressure. It will feel better as you massage deeper. Breathe deeply while you massage, and let yourself relax. Do this for one to three minutes. Repeat as often as you like.
• Here’s an herbal tea mix that can smooth the tension in you. Take 250 ml water, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger root, and simmer the ginger in water in a covered pot for five minutes. Next add 1 teaspoon dried chamomile and 1 teaspoon dried linden flower and steep for another ten minutes. Strain and drink it hot.
• Lavender is helpful to tackle headaches as it can ease mental and physical stress. Add five drops of lavender and five drops of marjoram essential oil into a basin of cool water. Then soak two towels in the water and wring it lightly. Lie down on a bed and apply one towel to your forehead and one to the back of your neck. Rest for 30 minutes and you will feel relaxed afterwards.
• Valerian helps to relieve the pain of tension or migraine headaches. Take half a teaspoon of valerian extract and dilute in warm water. Drink a cup every 30 minutes till the pain is gone. But make sure you can only take up to 3 teaspoon a day of valerian.
• Lastly, try immersing your feet in a bucket of hot water for 15 minutes. Make the water as hot as you can withstand. At the same time, wring out a towel in ice water and apply cold compress on your forehead, temples, back of neck, or where the pain is concentrated at. This will increase blood flow to the feet and at the same time constricts blood vessel in the head, reducing blood flow and hence reduce pain.

Because stress can make the symptoms of the menopause worse, it is important to learn how to relax. Below are a few relaxation exercises. But first, be sure that you have a quiet location that is free of distractions and a comfortable body position.

• Deep breathing: Imagine a spot just below your navel. Breathe into that spot, filling your abdomen with air. Let the air fill you from the abdomen up, then let it out, like deflating a balloon. With every long, slow exhalation, you should feel more relaxed.
• Visualised breathing: Find a comfortable place where you can close your eyes, and combine slowed breathing with your imagination; picture relaxation entering your body as a cooling blue colour and tension leaving your body as an intense red colour. Breathe deeply, but in a natural rhythm. Visualise your breath coming into your nostrils, going into your lungs and expanding your chest and abdomen. Then, visualise your breath going out the same way. Continue breathing, but each time you inhale, imagine that you are breathing in more relaxation. Each time you exhale imagine that you are getting rid of a little more redness and tension.
• Progressive muscle relaxation: Switch your thoughts to yourself and your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly. Mentally scan your body. Notice areas that feel tense or cramped. Quickly loosen up these areas. Let go of as much tension as you can. Rotate your head in a smooth, circular motion once or twice. (Stop any movements that cause pain!) Roll your shoulders forward and backward several times. Let all of your muscles completely relax. Recall a pleasant thought for a few seconds. Take another deep breath and exhale slowly.
• Relax to music: Combine relaxation exercises with your favourite music in the background. Select the type of music that lifts your mood (not heavy metal!) or that you find soothing or calming. Some people find it easier to relax while listening to specially designed relaxation audio tapes, which provide music and relaxation instructions.
• Mental imagery relaxation: Mental imagery relaxation, or guided imagery, is a proven form of focused relaxation that helps create harmony between the mind and body. Guided imagery coaches you in creating calm, peaceful images in your mind — a “mental escape.” Identify your self-talk, that is, what you are saying to yourself about what is going on with you. It is important to identify negative self-talk and develop healthy, positive self-talk. By making affirmations, you can counteract negative thoughts and emotions. Here are some positive statements you can practice:
  • “I am healthy, vital and strong”
  • “There is nothing in the world I cannot handle”
  • “The menopause is the beginning of a wonderful new phase in my life”

Whenever you feel stressed or tense practice the following breathing exercise to relax your body and mind:

Breathe deeply and relax. For 2 or 3 minutes each hour, take a short mental vacation.

You can engage in this exercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or a few minutes during your lunch break. You can do this exercise at home or at work.

Take three deep breaths and relax. As you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. You may think about relaxing by a mountain, by the ocean or comfortably in your favourite room at home.

As you exhale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs.

Focus on positive images in your life. Focus on laughter, love, excitement, and hope. If you can’t recall any, imagine feeling happy and excited and hopeful.

Keep breathing in and out in this pattern until you feel better. If you practice the exercise often, you will notice wonderful changes in your outlook and in other aspects of your life.