Can Hunger Trigger Headaches?

Hunger can trigger a headache. Hunger causes the muscles to tighten up and causes headaches. When the sugar level in the blood drops, the body releases hormones which counter the low glucose level and this triggers the headache.

Hunger and headaches

• To avoid hunger headaches, you should eat the right kind of foods. These include protein-rich foods, nuts, yogurt, and pulses. These foods take a longer time to digest and can delay hunger pangs.
• Hunger headaches are mostly caused when you are fasting. If you wish to fast, you should eat complex carbohydrates in the morning which will maintain the blood sugar level for a longer period of time. Add wholesome bread, fruits, rice, and cereals in your meals.
• Drink as much water as you can, for dehydration can trigger headaches.
• When the brain finds out that the supply of water is low, it causes the contraction of muscles which conserve water. This causes pain and fatigue and results in a headache.
• Do not consume sugar heavy meals if you are fasting for the day as sugar is released into the blood very quickly and makes the body feel tired when the level of sugar will drop in the blood.
• Sleep deprivation can also trigger headaches as less sleep causes fatigue which will cause a headache.
• To avoid headaches, eat throughout the day by spreading your meals. This will eliminate the cause of hunger headaches. You need to avoid processed foods as they contain refined sugars. These disturb the blood sugar levels and cause a headache.
• You should also not skip meals. Headache is a sign that we need to eat.
• If you consume too much caffeine, it might cause a headache. Hunger headaches are a type of tension headaches in which there is a pain in the forehead front portions. The pain is less initially and becomes severe with time.