The daily grind

The stress of a major life event — the birth of a baby, the death of a loved one, a career change, a divorce — is undeniable. But that's not usually the type of stress that triggers headaches.

Instead, it's often the everyday irritants — searching for lost papers, sitting in traffic, tolerating petty annoyances at work — that may erode your ability to cope. For some people, this triggers headaches.

Responding to these daily stressors by tensing your muscles, grinding your teeth or stiffening your shoulders may only make your headaches worse.