Why You Get Headaches at Work (and How to Make Them Stop)
- Dr. Marissa Boyd, ND
- a few seconds ago
- 8 min read
It’s 3:24 PM. Your inbox is overflowing, your neck feels like a stone column, your eyes are dry and cranky, and your head is pulsing with that familiar, annoying ache. You’re tired, slightly grumpy, and secretly wondering, “Is my job trying to kill my brain?”
If this sounds dramatic, that’s okay. Headaches have a way of making everything feel dramatic. And if you get them often at work, you are absolutely not alone. Office and screen-time headaches are incredibly common in people who spend long hours at a computer, sit in awkward positions, rush through meals, and juggle constant mental load.
As a naturopathic doctor, I don’t see your headache as a character flaw or a sign that you’re “bad at stress.” I see it as feedback. Slightly rude feedback, yes—but still feedback.
Let’s walk through:
Why work seems to flip a headache switch in so many people
The most common triggers hiding in your day
Realistic, non-perfectionist changes you can make
When it’s time to take your symptoms more seriously
Why Your Headaches Show Up After a “Normal” Workday
Most people don’t wake up with a throbbing head. The headache usually builds quietly and steadily throughout the day.
By mid-afternoon, you’ve had:
Hours of sitting
Hours of staring
Hours of thinking, worrying, planning, and multitasking
Maybe not enough water or food
Your body has basically been whispering, “Hey… hey… hey…” and by the time it reaches headache level, it’s shouting.
Common office headache patterns include:
A tight, pressing band around your head or behind your eyes
A heavy ache at the base of the skull that creeps upward
One-sided, throbbing pain that hates bright lights and loud noises
You are not being dramatic, weak, or “too sensitive.” You’re having a normal response to a very intense, very modern daily load.
The Main Culprits Behind Office and Screen-Time Headaches
1. The Neck-and-Shoulder Situation (a.k.a. Tech Neck)
Let’s talk about what your upper body is doing all day. If someone snapped a candid photo of you at your desk, chances are good you’d see:
Head poking forward
Shoulders rounding in
Back slightly curved
Jaw clenched just enough to be annoying
That position might feel “normal,” but it’s hard work for your muscles. Your neck and upper back are constantly stabilizing, holding, and compensating. After hours of that, they get tired and tight—and tight neck and shoulder muscles love to send pain upward into the head.
Common setup issues:
Laptop sitting low on a desk → your head drifts forward
Chair too low or too soft → you sink and slouch
Screen off to one side → you’re subtly twisted for hours
Keyboard or mouse too far away → your shoulders are reaching all day
The result: stiff neck, tight shoulders, and that classic “tension headache” feeling.
2. Screens, Eyes, and the “My Brain Feels Fried” Sensation
Your eyes are doing a marathon on a tiny track. All day long, they:
Focus on a bright, close object (your screen)
Blink less than usual
Work harder when the font is small or contrast is harsh
That extra effort builds eye strain, which can show up as:
A dull ache behind your eyes
Tightness across your forehead
A heavy, tired feeling in your whole head
Add in multitasking, scrolling, and late-night screen time, and your visual system is basically asking for a spa retreat.
3. Hydration, Coffee, and Chaos Eating
Here’s a very common office pattern:
Coffee instead of breakfast
Maybe a rushed snack at your desk
A random lunch… somewhere in the afternoon… hopefully
A bit more caffeine when the energy crash hits
Your brain thrives on consistent hydration and steady fuel. When you’re dehydrated or riding a blood-sugar rollercoaster, you’re more likely to feel:
Headachy
Foggy
Irritable
Completely wiped out by 4 PM
Coffee is not the enemy. But coffee as your main food group? Your head will absolutely comment on that.
4. Stress, Deadlines, and the “Always On” Brain
You don’t have to be doing physical labor to be exhausted. Mental load is very real:
Constant Slack pings or emails
Meetings stacked back-to-back
Performance pressure, financial stress, people-pleasing, imposter syndrome (hi, yes, all of it)
Your nervous system stays activated and on edge. Muscles tighten, breathing gets shallower, and your pain threshold often drops. In that state, a little bit of tension or eye strain can quickly become a full-blown headache.
5. The Office (or Home Office) Environment
The space around you matters more than most people realize. Headache-friendly irritants include:
Harsh overhead lighting or flickering fluorescent bulbs
Glaring reflections on your screen
Very dry air from heating or AC
Constant noise, interruptions, or lack of privacy
Individually, these may feel minor. Together, they create a subtle but steady overload that wears you down.
Simple, Real-World Changes That Help Your Head Hurt Less
You do not need a complete life overhaul to feel better. Let’s focus on small, doable shifts.
Adjust Your Setup So Your Body Isn’t Fighting All Day
Try these quick alignment tweaks:
Put your feet flat on the floor, or on a solid box or footrest
Adjust your chair so your knees and hips are roughly level
Scoot your hips back and let your back rest on the chair (you are allowed to lean)
Raise your screen so the top is at or just below eye level
Keep your keyboard and mouse close so your elbows stay near your body
Then, once in a while, gently lengthen your spine, soften your shoulders, and bring your head back over your chest. Not military straight—just comfortably upright. Think of it as making your muscles’ job slightly easier, hour by hour.
Use Micro-Breaks Instead of Waiting Until You’re Miserable
Big workouts are great, but tiny movements during the day can be game changers for headaches. Try:
Every 20–30 minutes, pause for 20–60 seconds
Stand up if you can, or sit taller
Slowly roll your shoulders a few times
Gently stretch your neck—ear toward shoulder, then switch sides
Look at something far away (out a window if possible) to relax your eyes
You can tie these breaks to natural cues: every time you hit “send,” change tasks, or finish a call, take a quick reset. It doesn’t need to be fancy—just consistent.
Hydrate Like You Actually Live in a Body
Make hydration easy, not heroic:
Keep water on your desk where you can see it
Take a few sips whenever you switch tasks or glance at your phone
Add herbal teas or sparkling water if you like more variety
For food, think “actual fuel” instead of just “I ate something.” Aim for:
A real breakfast or at least something with protein
A lunch that doesn’t come exclusively from a vending machine
Snacks like nuts, seeds, hummus, yogurt, fruit with nut butter, or cheese with whole-grain crackers
These choices help keep your energy, mood, and head more stable.
Make Screens and Lights Less Aggressive
Small adjustments can make a big difference:
Match screen brightness to the room so it doesn’t feel like a spotlight
Increase text size so you’re not squinting
Use night mode or warmer tones if they feel better in the evening
Reduce glare with a screen filter or by repositioning your monitor
If possible, position windows beside you instead of directly behind or in front of you
Pay attention to how your head feels when you tweak these settings. Your body will usually tell you what it prefers.
Give Your Nervous System Tiny Moments of Calm
You do not need to meditate for an hour to support your nervous system (though you can). Even very short, quiet practices help. Try this combo a few times a day:
Inhale slowly through your nose for about 4 seconds
Exhale gently for about 6 seconds
Repeat for 3–5 breaths
While you do this, soften your forehead, relax your jaw, and drop your shoulders down. It’s simple, invisible to everyone else, and surprisingly effective at dialing down your internal “alarm system.”
When to Track, When to Worry, and When to Seek Help
Watch for Patterns, Not Just Random Bad Days
If headaches are a regular part of your work life, a little detective work can go a long way.
For a week or two, jot down:
The time of day your headache starts
Where it hurts and what it feels like (tight, throbbing, sharp, dull)
What you were doing before it started (meeting, deep focus, skipped meal, scrolling in bed late the night before)
Any extra symptoms: neck or jaw pain, light sensitivity, nausea, mood shifts, menstrual timing
You might notice:
A specific time (like “almost always around 2–4 PM”)
A link with skipping meals or heavy stress days
A connection with your cycle or poor sleep
Patterns don’t just make you feel validated—they give you and your practitioner clear clues about what to adjust.
Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore
Most workday headaches are uncomfortable but not dangerous. However, there are certain symptoms that absolutely deserve prompt medical attention, including:
A sudden, severe headache that feels very different from your usual ones
A headache after a significant head injury
Headache with confusion, trouble speaking, fainting, weakness, or difficulty seeing
Headache with fever, stiff neck, or a strong sense that “something is really wrong”
If you’re on the fence, please err on the side of getting checked. Your safety is more important than trying to “tough it out.”
How a Naturopathic Doctor Can Support You
If you’ve tried the basics—better posture, breaks, hydration, food—and you’re still struggling, that’s a signal to look deeper. In a naturopathic visit for headaches, we might:
Map out your typical day in detail: work, sleep, stress, movement, screen time
Review your health history, menstrual cycle, digestion, mood, and energy
Look at patterns in your headache frequency, timing, and triggers
Discuss whether any testing or referrals are needed
From there, we build a tailored plan that can include:
Nutrition and hydration strategies that fit your real life
Gentle nervous-system and stress support (herbs, practices, routines)
Ergonomic and movement recommendations you can actually implement
Sleep support, hormone balancing, or digestive support if relevant
The goal isn’t just “a few fewer headaches.” It’s a whole system that works better for your brain and your life.
Your Headache Is Not Your Personality
If you finish work most days with a pounding head, it’s easy to feel discouraged or even a little hopeless. But headaches are not your personality, and they are not your destiny.
They are:
A signal that your environment, habits, or physiology need support
A nudge toward kinder routines
A reminder that your brain and body have limits
You do not need to fix everything at once. Pick one tiny, achievable change:
Raise your laptop on a stack of books
Set one reminder each hour to stand and stretch
Drink one extra glass of water midday
Eat something with actual protein before noon
Take three slow breaths before you open your email in the morning
These seem small. But stacked up over days and weeks, they can absolutely change how your head feels at the end of the day.
Your job might be demanding. Your life might be full. But your skull does not have to feel like it’s going to explode by 5 PM—and you deserve a workday that doesn’t knock you flat.
Let’s find the answers your body has been trying to give you. Book your appointment today.
At IVY Integrative, you can work with me or build your own team of holistic practitioners! Reach your optimum health in-person or online. Check out our Get Started page to learn how to work with us!
Author: Dr. Marissa Boyd, ND
References:
Digital eye strain and screen useKaur, K. et al. “Digital Eye Strain–A Comprehensive Review.” Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics, 2022.
Screen time, digital eye strain, and headacheRoy, S. et al. “Increased Screen Time and Its Association to Migraine and Digital Eye Strain.” Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 2024.
Computer vision syndrome and headachesAmerican Optometric Association. “Computer Vision Syndrome.”Clinical summary describing digital eye strain (computer vision syndrome), including headaches as a common symptom with prolonged computer use.
Randomized trial: increasing water intake for headacheSpigt, M. et al. “A Randomized Trial on the Effects of Regular Water Intake in Patients with Recurrent Headaches.” Family Practice, 2012.
Water intake and migraine severityKhorsha, F. et al. “Association of Drinking Water and Migraine Headache Severity and Frequency.” Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 2020.
Work stress and primary headachesLin, K.C. et al. “Association Between Stress at Work and Primary Headache Among Nursing Staff.” Headache, 2007.
Posture, cervicogenic/head posture–related headache in office workersHwang, U. et al. “Classifying Office Workers With and Without Cervicogenic Headache: Associations With Posture and Musculoskeletal Factors.” Frontiers in Pain Research, 2025. Ergonomics, exercise, and neck/shoulder pain in office workers
Johnston, V. et al. “A Cluster-Randomized Trial of Workplace Ergonomics and Exercise for Neck Pain in Office Workers.” Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 2021.
Disclaimer:
This information is generalized and intended for educational purposes only. Due to potential individual contraindications, please see your primary care provider before implementing any strategies in these posts.