I get tension headaches that start at the base of my skull and crawl up over my head like a too-tight helmet by about 3 PM. For years my solution was ibuprofen — two pills, wait thirty minutes, function again. Then I started getting them three or four times a week and realized I was taking way too much Advil.

Most tension headaches are caused by muscle tightness in your neck, shoulders, and jaw. The pain is real but the root cause is mechanical — knots and trigger points referring pain upward. Fix the muscles and the headache usually goes away without medication.

The suboccipital release that works in 90 seconds

Lie on your back. Find the two little bony bumps at the base of your skull — right where your skull meets your neck, about two finger-widths apart. Press your thumbs into the soft spots just below those bumps. Apply firm, steady pressure — not sharp pain, but a deep “good hurt.” Hold for 60-90 seconds while breathing slowly.

The suboccipital muscles connect your skull to the top of your spine. When they’re tight — from hunching over a phone or computer all day — they pull on a band of connective tissue that wraps around your head. That’s the helmet-squeezing sensation. Releasing these muscles often relieves the headache within minutes.

The first time I did this, I actually felt the headache fade while my thumbs were still pressed in. It was unsettling how effective it was.

Peppermint oil on temples (this is not aromatherapy woo)

Peppermint oil contains menthol, which activates cold-sensitive receptors in your skin. It doesn’t just “smell nice” — it’s a topical analgesic. One drop of peppermint essential oil mixed with a dab of lotion or coconut oil, rubbed into your temples and the back of your neck, creates a cooling sensation that distracts your nerves from the pain signal.

Do not put pure peppermint oil directly on your skin — it burns. Always dilute it. And keep it away from your eyes. I learned the eye thing the hard way and it was worse than the headache.

What made my headaches go from daily to weekly

I realized my computer monitor was too low. I was tilting my head down by about ten degrees for eight hours a day. That constant forward head tilt strains the suboccipitals nonstop. I raised my monitor so the top of the screen is at eye level and my tension headaches dropped by maybe 70 percent. It took two stacks of books but it worked.

Also: I clench my jaw when I’m focused. Didn’t even know I was doing it until a dentist pointed out the wear on my molars. Now I set a reminder on my phone every hour that just says “unclench jaw.” Sounds dumb but it helped.

• Suboccipital release: Thumbs at base of skull, firm pressure, 60-90 seconds
• Peppermint oil: Diluted with lotion on temples and neck — actual analgesic effect
• Monitor height: Top of screen at eye level to stop forward head tilt
• Jaw clenching: Set hourly reminders to unclench — you’re probably doing it right now