Dehydration is a common cause of headaches, as the body loses water through breathing, sweating, and excretion. When water isn’t replenished, it disrupts electrolyte balance, causing brain tissue to temporarily shrink, leading to headaches.
Proper hydration ensures stable blood flow to the brain, significantly reducing headache symptoms. Understanding what to drink to relieve headaches is essential for everyone to maintain optimal health. Below, we explore 15 nutrient-rich drinks that can help alleviate headaches naturally.
What to Drink to Relieve Headaches
1. Water
Water is the most essential drink to combat headaches. It restores fluid balance, supports nutrient transport to cells, and prevents dehydration—a leading cause of headaches.
What to drink to relieve headaches? Stay hydrated when experiencing a headache
How Much Water Do You Need? An average adult needs about 2 liters of water daily, though this varies based on age, gender, and activity level. Use this formula to calculate your daily water intake:
Water needed (oz) = Body weight (kg) x 2 x 0.5 Note: 1 oz = 0.03 liters.
Here’s a guide for daily water intake based on body weight:
| Body Weight (kg) | Water Intake (ml) |
|---|---|
| 40–43 | 960 |
| 45–49 | 1,080 |
| 50–54 | 1,200 |
| 55–59 | 1,320 |
| 60–64 | 1,440 |
| 65–69 | 1,560 |
| 70–74 | 1,680 |
| 75–79 | 1,920 |
| 80–84 | 2,040 |
| 85–90 | 2,160 |
2. Lemon Water
Lemon water is not only refreshing but also rich in vitamin C. According to the National Library of Medicine, vitamin C reduces oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, helping to relieve migraine symptoms. It also restores fluid and electrolyte balance, making it an excellent choice for headache relief drinks.
Tip: Use fresh lemons, dilute with water, and pair with a healthy diet for optimal results.
What to drink to relieve headaches? Drinking lemon water helps rehydrate the body and relieve headaches
3. Fresh Orange Juice
Pure orange juice is packed with vitamin C (53.2 mg per 100g) and magnesium (10 mg per 100g). These nutrients boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and hydrate the body, helping to alleviate headache symptoms.
4. Fruit-Infused Water
Fruit-infused water is a flavorful way to stay hydrated and prevent headaches caused by dehydration. You can use fruits like apples, grapes, pineapples, cherries, or watermelon to add nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamins C and E.
What to drink to relieve headaches? Infused water is flavorful and rich in nutrients
5. Grape Juice
Grape juice is rich in vitamin C and magnesium (5 mg per 100g). Magnesium helps regulate neurotransmitters, reducing the risk of migraines. Men should aim for 400–420 mg of magnesium daily, while women need 310–320 mg. Adding grape juice to your diet is a tasty way to meet these needs.
6. Grapefruit Juice
Grapefruit juice provides 31.2 mg of vitamin C and 9 mg of magnesium per 100g. These nutrients enhance immunity, regulate neurotransmitters, and hydrate the body, making it an effective drink to reduce headache symptoms.
What to drink to relieve headaches? Grapefruit juice is rich in vitamin C and magnesium, which are beneficial for people with headaches
7. Pure Coconut Water
Coconut water is packed with electrolytes, minerals, and amino acids. It quickly rehydrates the body, lowers blood pressure, and soothes headaches caused by dehydration or high blood pressure.
8. Basil Water
Basil contains essential oils that relieve stress and reduce headache symptoms. You can make basil water by steeping fresh or dried basil leaves in hot water. Its soothing aroma and mild flavor make it a great choice for natural remedies for headaches.
What to drink to relieve headaches? Basil water is a drink that helps relieve stress and reduce headaches
9. Unsweetened Fruit Juice
Unsweetened fruit juices, such as those from berries, pineapples, cherries, or papayas, are rich in water, magnesium, and vitamins. These nutrients stabilize nerve function and reduce migraine symptoms.
10. Coffee (in Moderation)
Coffee contains caffeine, which can reduce inflammation and alleviate headaches when consumed in moderation (up to 200 mg daily). However, excessive caffeine can worsen headaches.
- Filter coffee: 85 mg caffeine per 125 ml (safe limit: 294 ml/day).
- Instant coffee: 26 mg caffeine per 100g (safe limit: 796g/day, but watch for added sugars).
What to drink to relieve headaches? Drinking coffee in moderate amounts can help relieve headache symptoms
11. Green Tea
Green tea is rich in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant that reduces stress and inflammation. It’s a great option for drinks to reduce headaches, while also boosting immunity and preventing premature aging.
12. Ginger Tea
Ginger tea contains gingerol, a compound that reduces inflammation and nausea associated with headaches. It also promotes relaxation and better sleep, making it ideal for tension headaches.
What to drink to relieve headaches? Ginger tea helps relieve headaches and promotes relaxation effectively
13. Peppermint Tea
According to the National Headache Institute, peppermint tea soothes nervous tension and reduces headache pain. Enhance its flavor with herbs like chamomile, cinnamon, or jasmine.
14. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is known for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties, making it effective for tension headaches. However, avoid it if you’re allergic to pollen or taking blood thinners.
Chamomile tea has anti-inflammatory properties and helps relieve headaches.
15. Feverfew Tea
Feverfew tea contains lacton sesquiterpene and flavonoids, which reduce headache and migraine symptoms. Consult a doctor if you have pollen allergies before consuming.
Drinks to Avoid When You Have a Headache
1. Carbonated Drinks
Sugary sodas can worsen headaches due to their high sugar content and diuretic effects, which lead to dehydration.
2. Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol, including wine and beer, dehydrates the body, lowers blood sugar, and dilates brain blood vessels, intensifying headache symptoms. Red wine’s tyramine and tannin content may also trigger headaches in some people.
Conclusion
Choosing the right drinks to reduce headaches can significantly improve your comfort and health. From water and fruit juices to herbal teas, these options hydrate the body and provide essential nutrients to combat headaches naturally. If symptoms persist or worsen, consult a doctor to identify underlying causes and receive proper treatment.
Stay hydrated and prioritize a healthy lifestyle to keep headaches at bay!
The above are some drink suggestions to help relieve headaches that Optimal365 Chiropractic would like to share. We hope this information will help patients choose the right beverages to effectively ease headache symptoms. However, if the pain does not improve or becomes more severe after trying these methods, you should visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis and effective treatment.
Reference source:
1. Cherney, K. (2021, March 2). Sip Your Way to Migraine Relief with These 12 Drinks. Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/migraine/drinks-for-headaches-and-migraine
2. Zilpah Sheikh, MD. (2024). WebMD. Can Caffeine Give You Headaches? https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/triggers-caffeine
3. Doherty, C., MD. (2022, September 28). What to drink for a headache. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-to-drink-for-a-headache-1719869
