Headaches have always been the curse of office workers. It brings about lethargy and slack work in production. If you have been suffering from headaches while in office, perhaps it is time to find out if the following 4 simple ways could help you alleviate the pain.

1) More Fresh Air

Most office buildings are air-conditioned where supply of fresh air is poor. The air quality worsens with the chemicals released from the air-conditioning system, air fresheners, insecticides, pesticides and the pollutants already existing in the building. When we breathe in these harmful substances, it's no surprise that we have headaches.

The best way is to open the office windows regularly to let in fresh air, though this is near impossible in most high-rise office buildings. Alternatively, get out of the buildings at times for a breather. By investing in air purifiers or/and filters, you can enhance the quality of office air. You also should increase the cleaning frequency of the office air-conditioning system.

2) Your Eyes Need to Breathe Too

If we overwork our eyes, it could lead to headaches too. This is because the muscles around our eyes get cramps which will stress the optic nerves connecting to our brain. Ideally, after every hour focus at the computer or the documents, we should try to look into a distance from a high place for 5 minutes to give our eyes a break.

If the problem persists, go for a checkup with your optometrist to find out if it is time you need a new pair of spectacles.

3) Mind Your Sitting Position

Many of us may not be aware that a poor sitting posture may hinder blood circulation, thereby causing headaches. As a rule of thumb, always keep the head aligned with the spine, and the wrists straight and aligned with the forearms. That's why our chairs are very important in giving us a good support for our backs to avoid slouching.

Try to kick bad habits that could over-exert your muscles, leading to headaches, e.g. we have the habit of typing on the keyboard and talking on the phone with it clamping between our shoulder and ear at the same time. In the long run, we can develop headaches due to prolonged straining of the muscles.

4) Stress is the Killer

Stress, coupled with exhaustion & anxiety, could easily lead to headaches or tension in the neck muscles. Though this is mostly unavoidable in our fast-paced environment, we should somehow learn to "spread out" our stress. Step away from the computer awhile, either to chat with colleagues or have a cup of hot tea. It benefits you to get away from your computer awhile.