Does anyone else get headaches at work?

[GinghamJoe]

I got into the office 3 days a week, and I'm finding most weeks by the afternoon of the first day I have a terrible headache brewing which lasts through the other two days.

I don't get these headaches at home. I've recently had new glasses, the lighting isn't particularly harsh. I think they are more related to the pressure of interacting with lots of people in one day (the other two days are quieter). I do sometimes feel the same at parties.

Has anyone else had this, and how have you dealt with it? I preciously worked in an office with two others one day a week and by myself the other two, I did find even with the two people I was getting headaches, thought not as bad as the ones now.

It makes me dread going in and they really are very painful and wipe me out for the following couple of days.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you

I used to have headaches at work, it was the stress, dealing with difficult people and challenging situations, being under pressure and impossible deadlines all the time.

Now I don't work there, my headaches have just gone.....

I find I get headaches in the office - for me it's a combo of lighting, hot desks not being optimally set up for me, no fresh air (no windows that open!) and the screens being weirdly focused / bright no matter what you do to them.

No problems wfh in my well set up home office - or when in the directors building which is lovely and set up for ultimate comfort.

Yes I always get a migraine. I think it's a combination of dehydration and having to be 'on'.

I get headaches in the office. I thought I just got headaches a lot until lockdown when I wfh and was virtually headache free so realised it was something about the office. It isn’t particularly stressful. I presumed it was lighting (not harsh, but brighter than I’m used to) and try to sit in a darkish place when I go in. I read about someone whose headaches were triggered by cleaning products at work. Also look up sick building syndrome

Could the stress be giving you high blood pressure which is then giving you headaches?

Are you drinking enough water?

That's and/or eye strain- if your job is VDU based make sure you take regular breaks (every 20mins look 20ft away for 20 seconds), this relaxes the muscles in the eyes.

I'll be be honest I don't take many breaks and can be a bit rubbish with water (though I do try). I'm the same at work and at home though. I think, as someone said above, it's having to be 'on'. I enjoy the job and like my colleagues, I just find it a bit of a sensory overload and that seems to unfortunately cause headaches

I'll definitely try taking more breaks from my desk and see if that helps

I don’t get headaches but BLIMEY the exhaustion in the office v wfh. I’ve concluded it’s prob alt because I’m on edge all day at work vs at home I can relax a bit in between calls. In terms of at home I can sit how I want, drink as many teas as I want, without feeling like I’m constantly being watched etc

Yes but it's because the main room i work in is poorly ventilated and has no windows. So it's very bright strip lights

I do, I think the lighting but also my office days are an earlier start for me than a WFH day, and I always find I don’t sleep as well the night before as I think subconsciously I’m anxious about sleeping in. I’m not a morning person at all so I think tiredness is a big cause of my office headaches

Omg yes

Every time I go to an office I get a headache - often a sinus type headache.

I have noticed it since I wfh mostly so office days are once a week.

I thought it was indicative of how much I hate offices.

Do you drink more tea/ coffee when you are home? Is it caffeine withdrawal?

My triggers for headache are being tired and caffeine withdrawal.

Made me change my sleep patterns and I now mostly drink decaffeinated beverages.

This has been my experience too. Constant, nearly daily, migraines and tension headaches due to the stress I was under at work. I tried various types of medication. In the end lockdown prevented me from going into my work setting and the headaches and migraines stopped pretty much overnight. I changed jobs and they've totally stopped.

I drink a lot less when I'm in the office. Get a water bottle with the times down the side to help you drink enough.