At the beginning of each school year and after extended days off (winter and spring breaks), when I returned to the classroom, I went through a period of daily headaches. No matter if I had a great or challenging day with students, the headaches still emerged. I knew it was a combination of the overwhelmingness of the school day, the beginning of the year, or returning to extra paperwork, wanting everything to be perfect, and trying to manage a classroom of new or returning faces. Whatever the reason, this tension in my head was predictable.
After long days at work, I still had responsibilities at home. Many of these days I would be in pain and did not have the energy to fulfill my household tasks. I would go home and take a nap, hoping that the headaches would later subside long enough for me to get some of my work done before bedtime. When the headache was continual and debilitating, I knew that it had passed the level of being a headache into a migraine. This negatively impacted my time and relationship with my family. My children wanted to talk about how their day at school went. My husband got tired of taking on all the household work. It was not fair to my family nor best for my students.
Through the years I have learned that some of my daily school and home activities were headache triggers for me. I worked with my medical doctor to learn strategies to help reduce the headaches and I hope that they will help you too.
1. Noise
Have you noticed your students getting noisier as the day progresses? Do you notice that the noise level in your classroom has been louder than it needs to be? Noise can be a headache trigger. It is something that comes with the territory of working in a classroom every day. However, when you start to have tension pain in your head, face, or neck that hinders you from being your best for your students. The noise is too loud. The best action to take is to prevent the noise from escalating in the first place. As a classroom teacher, I understand that it is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to try:
1. You may need to rearrange student seating assignments. Moving talkative students from their friends may help unless they are friendly with everyone.
2. Play soft music while students are working. Playing soft music as students enter the classroom can relax and calm them down. Turn the music off when you are giving instructions or are involved in class discussions. Turn the music back on when students are working quietly to provide a peaceful environment.
3. Have your class practice speaking at acceptable volumes. Everything you want your students to do well must be practiced. Taking the time to provide direct instruction and explicit practice in appropriate noise levels is necessary. It may take your students’ several practices to learn your expectations, but eventually, they will. Additional practice may be needed after an extended time away from school to ensure that students know this is the standard.
4. Reward/acknowledge students for keeping their voices down. I do not condone physical rewards for every little thing that students do correctly in school or for things they should be doing anyway. However, when there is a problem and you need relief, this can be an alternative. You may need a little help to preserve your health. When it comes to my health or sanity, it may be worth spending a few extra dollars at the store to get the desired results. Start with verbal acknowledgments for students who are complying with the noise level. If you want to give a small treat to them, do what is best for you. Eventually, you will want to move away from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation.
In emergencies, you may need to cut back on group assignments, have a conference with individual students, and even contact parents if the problem persists.
2. Excessive Screen Time
Teachers are spending more and more time in front of their screens. We are given fewer textbooks, instructional manuals, and other printed materials each year. Most of the information we use is more current and accessed in front of a computer screen. Writing out lesson plans is no longer done using paper and pencil, but by typing them out on the computer. Most of our paperwork has been transferred to the computer as well. This all saves time and can be delivered to others more efficiently, however, our screen time has increased exponentially along with headaches. If you have noticed headaches after you have been in front of a screen for long periods, try these tips:
1. The 20-20-20 Rule
The American Optometric Society recommends that every 20 minutes take a 20-second break by looking at something or someone 20 feet away. They also recommend that if you are working on a screen for longer than two hours, rest your eyes for 15 minutes.
2. Update your Eyewear
If you wear glasses or contact lenses you may want to invest in blue light-blocking eyewear. Blue light-blocking lenses help protect your eyes by blocking harmful rays from digital devices. Without this defense, we may allow these rays to enter our eyes while we are on our computers, cell phones, watching television, and using other devices. Having an eye prescription that filters blue light may help with eye strain and rays that may trigger headaches.
3. Stress
Stress is your body’s response to emotional, physical, or psychological strain. Teachers deal with a lot of pressures which can turn into stress if not managed well. Student behavior, high expectations, paperwork deadlines, meetings on top of meetings, evaluations, feeling unsupported, unseen, and unheard in the classroom, and other issues that teachers face daily may cause stress which triggers headaches. Some strategies that may help prevent stress include:
1. Meditation
Taking just a few minutes to clear your mind of all of the clutter can help you relax and bring your cortisol level down. This can boost your energy and help you decide what you need to focus on for the next task. Meditating before tough times can also prevent stress. If you know that your next class may be a little challenging, taking the last 5 minutes of your current class time to settle down and relax can be very helpful. I would have my students listen to music and write a little reflection during that time. During this time, I was able to sit and relax for a moment to prepare for the next class. Reflection time is always good for students and calming my nerves was a great proactive measure for me.
2. Have realistic expectations
Teachers would move mountains if we could. Having unrealistic expectations can cause additional stress when those expectations are not met. For more help with dealing with unrealistic teacher expectations check out our post, “Tips on how to Deal with the Pressure of Unmet High Expectations.”
3. Do not take the job personally
Teachers must separate their job from their personal lives. If students do not succeed, that does not reflect on your character. Being a teacher is a job. Outside of teaching, you are more than that. Do not allow the results of a test or assessment to define you as a person. Do the best that you can, and always strive for better. But beating yourself up over what you could have or should have done is not beneficial for anyone.
3. Lack of Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, research has linked headaches to sleeping problems. One brain connection is that the hypothalamus which regulates sleep also houses the neurons that control pain. Also, the lack of melatonin has been connected to headaches and migraines. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced in the pineal gland in the brain that helps us fall asleep. Sleep is very important and it is recommended that most adults get 7 to 9 hours each night. According to an article written by the National Education Association, 43% of teachers sleep an average of 6 hours or less each night.
In addition to headaches, teachers can experience a lack of focus, concentration, and alertness if we are not getting enough sleep. This can compromise the safety of the students in our care and it can cause instructional missteps. Teachers need to get adequate sleep each night. Here are some strategies that may help:
1. Set a Schedule
Have a set sleep and wake-up schedule and stick with it even on the weekends. When it comes to sleep, our bodies operate best with routines. Having a set time to go to bed and wake up helps our bodies learn to naturally settle down and wake up at the appointed time in the morning.
2. Create an Electronic-Free Bedroom
Turn off all electronic devices at least 1 hour before bedtime. The blue light in the devices boost alertness and hinders the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. It is also a good practice to have a television-free bedroom. Reserving the bedroom for sleep, sex, and relaxation is best.
3. Brain-dump
Teachers deal with so many situations at work that it may be hard to rest our minds when it is time for bed. Before turning off the lights for the night, try getting a pen and paper to write down everything that is on your mind. Getting it out of your head and onto the paper is a way to let it go for the next few hours. The list can be addressed in the morning, but pondering over it through the night is not conducive to solving any of the problems. A lack of sleep can cause you to experience problems with decision-making. You want to be alert and focused when making decisions and a good night sleep will better prepare you to do that.
4. Vitamins
Speak with your medical provider about taking supplements. Vitamins can be a great sleep aid when used correctly. Some vitamins that are linked to sleep health include:
- Melatonin
- Magnesium & Zinc
- B Vitamins
- Omega-3
- Vitamin D
- Calcium
- Potassium
5. Diet
Just because food tastes good, does not mean it is good for us. Some foods have been linked to headaches and it is important to avoid them when possible. Increase foods that not only nourish your body but your mind.
We must stop treating eating as an inconvenience in our lives. It is a way to fuel our bodies so that we can get more done. For this reason, our diet cannot be an afterthought. We must make it a priority.
Foods to limit if you are experiencing headaches include:
- Coffee
- Alcohol
- Cheese
- Fast foods
Food gives us pleasure and patterns around food can be hard to break. If you are experiencing regular headaches, what you eat may solve this. Here are some strategies to try:
1. Meal Prep
Meal prepping is a great way to save time planning and cooking weekly meals. It can also provide healthier options when you need to grab something to eat. Try meal prepping for 2 or 3 days each week and be intentional about making sure you include healthy foods.
2. Snacking
Always have healthy snacks around to munch on in between meals and when you need an energy boost. Some of my favorite healthy snacks to keep around include:
- Fresh fruit
- Dried fruit
- Trail mix
- Nuts
Do not forget to hydrate! Not drinking enough water has been linked to headaches. Adding just another 8oz of water into your day can make a difference. I know that using the bathroom during the school day can be difficult for teachers, but here are some tips:
1. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning.
2. Drink a glass of water an hour to 30 minutes before your break.
3. Guzzle down water as soon as all of your students leave for the day.
4. If you don’t like water, add fruit to the water (lemon, cucumbers, strawberries, orange slices, etc.)
5. Take your water bottle everywhere you go and every time you look at it, take a sip.
It is the law to provide reasonable breaks throughout the workday. If needed, call the office and have someone watch your class for a few minutes. If you stick your head out of your classroom door, you will catch a teacher walking by who does not mind watching your class for a moment. I have also had a scheduled time to take my class to the bathroom each period. This was also my time to go. Lastly, every time I walked past a bathroom, I would try to go.
After a while, your body will start to regulate.
Using the bathroom more often was an inconvenience at first, but the headaches I was experiencing were much more of an inconvenience. I am now drinking ½ my body weight in ounces of water each day and the headaches have decreased greatly.
I have decided to make my health a priority and because of it, I have benefited from decreased headaches and migraines by using these strategies. Remember, when teachers are at their best mentally and physically, our families, students, communities, and society all benefit. Teacher Care Now.
