Is Working From Home Giving You a Headache or Migraine Attack?

Working from home can have its perks (attending meetings in sweatpants, anyone?), but sometimes trying to get work done in your home environment can be a headache — literally.

“My experience, and what I’ve heard from other physicians, is that a lot of people are reporting worsening of their tension headaches and migraine” when working from home more often, says Katherine Hamilton, MD, a neurologist and headache specialist at MedStar Health in Washington, DC.

“I think there are numerous reasons that we’re seeing that,” Dr. Hamilton adds.

Too Much Screen Time May Mean More Frequent Headaches

Working from home and attending meetings virtually rather than in person can mean spending almost the entire workday looking at a screen — in addition to the screen time you log when you’re not at work.

For people who work from home, “the average person is spending more than 13 hours on digital devices during the course of a day,” says Paul Karpecki, OD, the director of cornea and external disease at Kentucky Eye Institute and a member of the vision health advisory board at Eyesafe, a company that develops technology to filter out blue light from electronic displays.

“If you have any potential issue that can cause headaches, it’s more likely to come out in a situation like that, where you put that much strain on the system,” Dr. Karpecki adds.

Both migraine attacks and tension headaches — the most common type of headache — can be triggered by environmental factors and changes in your routine, according to Hamilton. Migraine attacks tend to be more debilitating, with symptoms like throbbing pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.

There are a few things you can do if you think extra screen time is giving you more headaches, says Karpecki.

• Try to limit your screen time to daylight hours. In addition to contributing to headaches, research also suggests that exposure to blue light may change your natural circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleep schedule.

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• Consider using technology that filters out blue light, such as a screen protector or specialized glasses.
• Give your eyes a chance to relax by periodically (every 20 minutes or so) moving your gaze to something farther away, which can reduce eyestrain.
• Take occasional breaks to keep your eyes moist. Blink rates go down about 75 percent when we’re on digital devices, says Karpecki.

Poor Positioning or Posture Can Cause Tension

Many people don’t have an ideal home office setup with a properly positioned keyboard and computer monitor, Hamilton notes. That can mean poor body positioning or posture, which can increase the likelihood of a migraine attack or tension-type headache. “When you’re on your laptop, you can end up hunching forward more, which can lead to tension in your neck and shoulders,” she says.

Optimizing the ergonomics (positioning or layout) of your home office to make it more comfortable and to encourage better posture can go a long way, says Hamilton. “Ideally, you want to have a setup where you are able to take an upright posture so you’re able to look straight ahead at your computer if you can,” she says. That may mean adjusting your desk or table, or using books or other props to get optimum positioning. “This can help you avoid the position where your head is forward and your shoulders are hunched,” Hamilton notes, referring to a condition known as “tech neck.”

Even if your posture is great, taking breaks to stretch is a good idea, especially for your shoulder and neck muscles, she adds.

Lack of Sleep and Changes in Diet Can Trigger Migraine Attacks

Departures from your normal routine can be a big factor in headaches and migraine attacks, Hamilton notes. “I explain to my patients that the migraine brain likes things to be as steady and stable as possible, which can be especially challenging” for some people who work from home, she says.

“For example, if you’re not going into the office, you may be going to bed and getting up at different times and sleeping too much or too little,” Hamilton adds. Both a lack of sleep and sleeping too much can trigger a headache.

Changes in meal schedules and caffeine intake can be an issue, too, according to Hamilton. She advises people to establish a regular routine for sleeping, eating, and exercising when working from home. “It’s okay if that routine is not exactly the same as what you did before you worked from home. The idea is just to maintain it consistently,” she says. Hamilton suggests the following tips to reduce the likelihood of a migraine attack and improve your overall well-being.

• Go to bed and wake up around the same time.
• If you drink coffee, keep your intake consistent from one day to the next, and make sure it’s not interfering with your ability to sleep at night by not drinking any more starting about six hours before your bedtime.
• Have your meals around the same time every day.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Could Something in My House Be Giving Me a Headache?

Migraine attacks and headaches can be triggered by things in your environment, so it’s possible that something in your house is part of the problem. Here are some possibilities to investigate.

• Check the light. Migraine attacks are often associated with photophobia, or light sensitivity. If you’re experiencing photophobia, avoid fluorescent or flickering lights. Even bright natural light can be bothersome, so if you’re sensitive to it, you may want to keep your window blinds at least partially closed during the brightest times of the day.
• Eliminate strong odors. Any strong odor — scented soaps, lotions, or candles, perfumes, cleaning products, cigarette smoke, and even foods can trigger a migraine attack or headache. To avoid bothersome odors, purchase unscented personal-care and household products whenever possible, and ask the members of your household to do the same.
• Beware of dry air and dehydration. Indoor heating can dry out the air you’re breathing and dehydrate you as well, and headache and dizziness can be symptoms of dehydration.

How Do I Get Immediate Relief From a Headache?

No medication can take away the pain of a migraine attack or tension-type headache 100 percent of the time, but there are many effective treatment options. Talk with your doctor about which therapy will safely relieve your pain as quickly as possible so you can return to work and the activities you enjoy.

• Analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can provide short-term relief for tension headaches and migraine pain, and they usually don’t require a prescription. These include medications like aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and acetaminophen (Tylenol). While they are generally safe to use to treat short, acute headaches, they should not be taken for chronic pain without discussing their use with your healthcare team.
• Triptans are a class of prescription drugs that were developed to treat migraine attacks. If you feel an attack coming on, these drugs will be more effective if you take them early, while the pain is still moderate.

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• Gepants are newer kinds of acute migraine medications that target very specific receptors on sensory nerves. They may offer an alternative to people who can’t take triptans or don’t benefit from them.
• Ergot alkaloids, which includes ergotamine derivatives, constrict blood vessels to provide pain relief.
• Integrative and complementary therapies — such as acupuncture, physical therapy, certain supplements, and mind-body approaches like mindfulness — have various degrees of evidence and safety profiles supporting their use for the management of tension headaches and migraine symptoms.

Physical Activity May Reduce Stress and Headaches

Hamilton recommends that her patients with migraine get regular exercise, which can decrease stress and improve sleep and mood.

“Physical activity can have benefits if people have a lot of neck tension or tension-type headaches. Activities like yoga can loosen up the muscles and help you relax,” she says.

If you can’t get out and run or walk, try to take advantage of the various online tips, videos, and other resources for exercise to help you keep moving and stick with a routine, Hamilton suggests. “I recommend a half hour or so of exercise at least five times a week if possible,” she says.

How Do I Tell My Boss I Have a Headache Disorder?

If you need to take some time off to cope with a headache or migraine attack, experts suggest that you briefly explain your diagnosis to your work supervisor and state that you plan to resume your work and make up for what you missed as soon as your symptoms subside. You can also ask your doctor to write a letter stating the need for accommodations.

If you are regularly missing work and you have three or more severe migraine days a month, talk with your healthcare team. You may be a candidate to take a preventive medication.

Let your boss know that you are making lifestyle modifications and working on a treatment plan with your primary care doctor or neurologist. Your employer may be more understanding when you do need to take time off for a migraine attack if they know that you’re being proactive about preventing and treating attacks.

The Takeaway

• Working from home can cause or increase migraine attacks and tension headaches, with one potential cause being additional screen time because devices can emit blue light that may trigger headaches in those with light sensitivities.
• Other remote work conditions that may contribute to headaches include improper lighting, a chair or desk that doesn’t promote proper posture, strong odors, dry air, and inconsistent sleeping and eating routines.
• Ways to prevent headaches while working from home include staying hydrated, taking regular breaks away from screens, stretching periodically or going for a walk, and practicing mindfulness.
• Headaches are a very common reason to miss work, but if you’re absent from work three or more days a month because of them, experts say it may be time to have a discussion with your supervisor and to explore with your doctor other possible medications and therapies.

Additional reporting by Quinn Phillips.