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Growing up, I suffered from chronic headaches.
When I was little, they were stress-related. I was a quiet and anxious kid, and not keen on opening up and sharing my feelings with others, so that usually meant that my anxiety manifested as a debilitating pain that would start behind my eyes and radiate out.
When I got into high school, I was diagnosed with migraines. Thankfully, they weren’t a constant occurrence, but they were enough to keep me out of school on occasion and locked behind a closed door with the lights off for hours on end.
Over the years, I’ve sought out ways to cure my headaches or preemptively avoid them altogether. I’ve tried prescription and over-the-counter meds, eating on a regular basis so my blood sugar doesn’t dip, drinking an uncomfortable amount of water, massaging my pressure points, and simply lying down until I feel like a person again. But nothing’s worked consistently.
A few weeks ago, I was online shopping and saw an ad for a cheap-looking, handheld device with what looked like teeth at the bottom.
After a little internet research, I learned that this device—a scalp massager—isn’t just another useless self-care tool. It increases blood circulation to your head and scalp; removes product build-up, which can help with dandruff; and contributes to the overall health of your hair.
But I’ve also found that using this little tool, even for five minutes a few times a week helps release the tension in my head—which means fewer headaches.
Isn’t it amazing how one tiny hack can help solve a problem that’s been plaguing you for years?
Check out 18 more potentially life-changing health hacks, straight from Elephant readers:
1. “The 10-minute rule. Wait 10 minutes to give in to cravings; if it takes 10 minutes or less to do something, get up and do it.” ~ Sakshi
2. “Micro-workouts spaced throughout the day instead of one long session.” ~ Donald
3. “Adding mint to my bath water…always calms me down.” ~ Bwalya
4. “Golden milk aka turmeric milk. Known for fighting inflammation as well as benefits connected to your mental health. Soothes anxiety, relieves stress and the like.” ~ Paloma
5. “Electric toothbrush.” ~ Amy
6. “A gun massager relieves back, neck, and leg pain.” ~ Kathleen
7. “Weighted blanket—insomnia (mostly) gone!” ~ Kate
8. “Eliminating all fast food and soda 9.5 years ago.” ~ Sharon
9. “I have a one in, one out rule for most things in my house. Meaning if I buy something new, an older item needs to be gifted. As a new minimalist, it’s helped clear clutter and useless items from my home.” ~ Elizabeth
10. “Black-out curtains.” ~ Lynn
11. “Eye mask and earplugs for sleep.” ~ Sara
12. “Tongue scraping every morning and night!” ~ Stephanie
13. “Drink warm water on an empty stomach.” ~ Nada
14. “Having a word that I use as a focus: the first half of the year was Vitality. The second half is now Persist.” ~ Naomi
15. “Water flosser—game changer!” ~ Tina
16. “Intermittent fasting.” ~ Barry
17. “Using a Neti pot daily.” ~ Brodan
18. “Taking a moment (or three) to celebrate each item as it gets checked off my to-do list! It’s like a little reset.” ~ LeeAnn
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AUTHOR: NICOLE CAMERON
IMAGE: OH_LONG_LESLIE/INSTAGRAM
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